OHSFCA displeased with Friday night Big Ten games
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio High School Football Coaches Association is showing discontent with the Big Ten’s decision to play six Friday night football games in 2017.
“We would like to express our disappointment with the Big Ten Conference’s decision to play football games on Friday nights,” OHSFCA president and New Philadelphia head coach Matt Dennison said in a press release. “Our association is vehemently opposed to this action as it infringes on a great American tradition of high school football, is not in the best interest of student athletes, cripples the small budgets of high school athletic departments, disrupts the relationships between high school coaches and Big Ten coaches, and hinders the recruiting process.”
The OHSFCA follows the lead of coaches associations in Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin in opposing the schedule change.
“It is a complete financial decision that was made to create revenue for the Big Ten,” Dennison stated in the release. “The Big Ten’s quest for money is greater than the great game of football. We would hope that they would reconsider this decision and that Ohio State would follow the lead of Michigan and Penn State in not participating in this endeavor.”
The OHSFCA has joined with high school football coaches’ associations in Michigan, Minnesota. Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin in opposing the decision.
The Big Ten recently released plans to play six Friday night games–three in conference and three out of conference–throughout the 2017 season. The games will be televised by ESPN and FOX.
Ironically, the Ohio Bobcats are the only team from the Buckeye State scheduled to take part next season. The Mid-American conference power will visit Purdue for a non-conference showdown on Friday, Sept. 8.
