Newton-Conover Football Videos

Back in the Glory Days: The Playoff Legacy with Don Patrick

In this exclusive short from our full sit-down with Don Patrick, we revisit the evolution of playoff football in North Carolina. Patrick reflects on how the postseason once felt more exclusive — with just 16 teams, two per conference — and how expansion to 36 teams and now 48 in 2025 has reshaped the game. He explains how this change wasn’t handed down from executives, but voted on by the coaches within the NCHSAA — a decision that, in his eyes, has softened the competitive edge that once defined high school football. A look back at the “Glory Days,” when earning a playoff berth truly meant surviving the gauntlet.