Modified Ohio plan calls for six-game high school football season, playoffs for all

Reacting to recommendations made by Gov. John DeWine, the Ohio High School Athletic Association on Friday proposed a modified football schedule. The plan, among other things, calls for a shortened six-game regular football season, all teams making the postseason and no December playoff contests.

The OHSAA Board of Directors proposed and approved a plan that begins the week of Aug. 24 (same as regular starting date) and make all teams eligible for the playoffs that would begin Oct. 9. New regions will be determined in September.

Playoff rounds will be determined by number of schools that enter the playoffs in each division. Instead of computer rankings, coaches in each region will seed playoff brackets.

Schools eliminated from the playoffs or opting out would be free to schedule additional regular season contests through Nov. 14.

The plan, which was passed by a vote of 9-0, must be approved by DeWine, who is supposed to meet with OHSAA next week.

"To both ensure we can offer students the opportunity to participate in education-based athletics but do so with their best interests in mind, we believe this modified plan offers a positive solution by addressing many of the concerns of our member schools," Jeff Cassella, president of the OHSAA Board of Directors and athletic administrator at Mentor High School, said in the OHSAA release.

"Those that are able to start their seasons on time will be able to do so. Those that are starting later can still have a season. Add in the option of all schools entering the playoffs and the possibility of schools still being able to play 10 regular season contests, and this plan is helpful to virtually all of our schools."

A decision on spectators attending contact sports has not yet been made. OHSAA officials support that, at a minimum, parents be permitted to attend.

Ohio's new plan comes the same day Pennsylvania paused its fall season two weeks in reaction to Gov. Tom Wolf's recommendation to delay high school sports until 2021.