Leroy Williams, the chairman of the CIAC football committee, says the CIAC is open to changes in the way this state conducts its practices, games and playoff system, and will reevaluate the process again at the end of this season.

Williams' comments come in light of UConn football coach Randy Edsall's remarks in Tuesday's Register.

Edsall said the CIAC puts too many restrictions on the state's high school football athletes.
Edsall said in Tuesday's Register: “Connecticut football is like the Ivy League, in terms that they start so late and don’t have a true playoff system. I think they should start practice in early August, finish the first week of November and start the playoffs to be done by the second week of December.”

Other states begin practice in early August, games begin before Labor Day and an expanded playoff format takes place in early November.

Williams says that most schools in CT start after Labor Day, and that unlike New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts, three states that have expanded playoffs, schools in this state have a long history of playing their traditional rivals on Thanksgiving morning.

"At the end of last year, we almost came to a resolution," Williams said. "But by April or May, everything needs to be set for the upcoming season. We just didn't have enough time to do it (make changes to the playoffs) for this year. But the committee is more than willing to listen to recommendations."

Williams says the football committee will listen to all possibilities they encounter during the upcoming regular season.

This past March, the CIAC Board of Control voted to maintain spring football for member schools, however; the Board also approved an alternative to traditional spring football which allows member schools the choice of electing traditional spring football or to add four (4) days to the start of practice in August, but decided not to change the playoff format.

One proposal would add a quarterfinal round and expand the number of teams qualifying from 24 to 48. The quarterfinal round would take place on the Thursday before Thanksgiving. Teams would still play their regularly scheduled Thanksgiving Day games but those games would not impact playoff standings. The semifinals and finals would still be the Tuesday and Saturday after Thanksgiving as they currently are. There will still be six classes (eight in each class), and the proposal would not have an impact on the length of the season.

If the playoffs went beyond the first week of December, weather may play an issue, and Williams says there are only a select number of turf fields in this state. Also, many teams may not want to essentially have the Thanksgiving Day games be rendered meaningless because that game is usually the biggest gate of the season, and teams depend on that game to cover financial costs for the year. Also, winter sports, such as basketball and hockey, may be against expanding football one week, which would coincide with the start of the winter sports season.

Williams also talked about possibly eliminating spring practice and having unlimited contact in August, but legality issues concerning responsibility if a student-athlete is injured will have to be addressed, as well as players interfering with maintenance crews trying to get schools and fields set for the upcoming school year.

Seems like there is not a simple solution, but Williams says the CIAC is willing to hear all sides of an issue.