high school football (Kearney: live in, move, areas)

[dunkhouse]

It seems to me that I heard some time ago about HS football somewhere in the plains being of the 8 man variety. I guess it would have been in more rural areas where there are fewer students who would be traveling farther to school. Is there 8 man football in Nebraska or am I thinking of another state?

[mattpoulsen]

Yes, there is 8 man football in Nebraska. In fact, I played 8-man football growing up.

You're right its played by the smaller schools. I'm not sure how many teams play now, but when I was in school there were two divisions of about 64 teams a piece, so well over a 100 total.

What might really blow your mind is that we also have 6-man football.

[Sandhills Guru]

I also played 8 man thru highschool and did some coaching of it also for a few years back at my old highschool. Its a fun game to watch, usually a lot of offense involved in it.

6-man is fading fast in the state. I don't believe the state is sanctioning 6-man any more.

[tpabes]

Lots of 8 man teams in Nebraska, almost 120 of them. I believe you can also find plenty of 8 man teams in Kansas and Oklahoma as well.

As for 6 man, it isn't santioned by the state, but it is still alive and well. They have their championship game in Kearney and last year I believe there was about 10 teams and according to NSAA they are up to 15 this year.

2008-09 FB Class

[Katiana]

There is 6 man and 8 man football in Colorado, mostly on the eastern plains followed by a few mtn communities.

[dunkhouse]

I live in a rural state and there is only the traditional 11 man football. Funny though, I can remember one school fielding a team of fewer than 15 players (13 I'm thinking) and trying to play a full schedule. They were, of course, not very competitive. I'm surprised that there are as many schools playering 6 and 8 man around. Seems like a good alternative for smaller schools everywhere.

[Sandhills Guru]

Back in my day playing 8 man, we were doing good to have 10-12 players out. I remember one game my junior year we finished the final 3 quarters with only 7 players on the field due to injuries. No we didn't win. We played a lot of teams that also had that also had close to the same number of participants, but then also played those that had 20 plus sometimes near 30.

[mattpoulsen]

You're right, 6-man is no longer sanctioned by the state. However, that move was entirely political and wasn't a result of the 6-man game fading. It was a move by the state to try to force school and athletic consolidation. There were over 30 teams that played 6 man and after the state quit sanctioning the 6-man variety many of these teams bumped up to 8 man or ended up consolidating with other schools.

They do have there own league now and its doing okay...I wouldn't use the word "thriving" though. I think there are only 10 teams total. Which basically means everyone plays everybody. My old high school is now 6-man and has won the "championship" at least 2 or 3 times the last few years - although I don't believe they won it this year.

I just think its a shame that the state chose to stop sanctioning the game because all they did was lower the level of competition in that division and further isolate those smaller schools that simply don't have a choice.

[Katiana]

Colorado has 21 six man teams; it looks like (from the names of the schools) 20 public and one religious school.