5 things to know for 2022 high school football season

Bill Broderick, Battle Creek Enquirer
·4 min read
Lakeview varsity head football coach Jerry Diorio explains a technique during a drill at a preseason practice on Tuesday. The high school football season begins the week of Aug. 25.
Lakeview varsity head football coach Jerry Diorio explains a technique during a drill at a preseason practice on Tuesday. The high school football season begins the week of Aug. 25.

Two-a-days just started, which means the official start of the season is still a few weeks away. But is it ever too early to start talking about high school football?

Of course not.

The season will start the week of Aug. 25 with games on Thursday and Friday that week.

Lakeview lineman Andrew Berryhill, left, goes through a drill at practice on Tuesday. The high school football season begins the week of Aug. 25.
Lakeview lineman Andrew Berryhill, left, goes through a drill at practice on Tuesday. The high school football season begins the week of Aug. 25.

Here are the 5 Things To Know to get you ready for the 2022 high school football season:

New Rules

It looks like high school football in Michigan will have more of an NFL feel this season.

Two new rules, ones which football fans see play out most Sundays, will go into effect this season.

The rule change most likely to be noticed by spectators will be where intentional grounding has been adjusted to allow for a passer to throw an incomplete forward pass to conserve yardage. The grounding rule will look more like the NFL and college rule, where the quarterback can "throw the ball away" to conserve the amount of contact by defensive players on passers.

The other key change for high school football will only come into play for teams good enough to make the state championship games. Starting with the 11-player football state finals, head coaches for the first time will be allowed one challenge per game, with the play in question then reviewed with video replay. The challenge will cost that team a timeout if the original outcome is confirmed.

Lakeview goes through preseason practice on Tuesday. The high school football season begins the week of Aug. 25.
Lakeview goes through preseason practice on Tuesday. The high school football season begins the week of Aug. 25.

Will have to wait on league games

Traditionally, the major conferences in the area will play one non-league game and then start conference play in Week 2. The two leagues that house four of the five city teams in Battle Creek have made a change in that area. The Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference and the Interstate 8 Conference will each have non-league games in the first two weeks of the season.

Harper Creek and Pennfield will each open I-8 play in Week 3 and will compete in seven straight league games to end the regular season.

Battle Creek Central and Lakeview will do the same in the SMAC.

Taking a page from college football, these teams will be able to work through any early-season problems before key league games come up on the schedule.

Strengthening Schedules

The MHSAA saw its new strength of schedule playoff point system really take affect in 2021 as teams realized the importance of playing a more challenging slate when the opportunity is there.

Formerly, there was a "six wins and you're in" mantra for high school football teams. Six wins meant you were automatically qualified for the playoffs and five-win teams could get in based on strength of schedule — so there was a strategy involved with making sure you earned your six wins based on your schedule.

Last year was the first full season where there were no automatic qualifiers. All teams are considered, regardless of number of wins, and the top 32 teams in each division, based on playoff points will make the playoffs.

Teams are slowly trying to adapt to the theory that playing bigger is better, if a team is out there to put on a schedule. For example, Battle Creek Central no longer will play Gull Lake, which it has beaten four straight years. Instead, the Bearcats will play a state power in Byron Center. A game against Byron Center, at 1,298 students, puts the Bearcats in a better position for playoffs than playingGull Lake, with 935, regardless of a win or a loss.

Big 8 down to 5?

The small-school conference in the area will get even smaller in the coming seasons. During the summer, longtime Big 8 Conference member Homer announced that it would be leaving one of the oldest leagues in the state to join the Cascades Conference. Homer will compete in Big 8 play this year, but with the start of the 2023 sports calendar, the Trojans will be in the Cascades.

Following a similar move by league member Jonesville, the Big 8 has been left with only five schools committed to the 2023 season in Bronson, Quincy, Reading, Springport and Union City.

The Big 8 previously went down to seven teams in 2020 when Concord left the league.

Where to find out more?

The Battle Creek Enquirer will continue to provide the most coverage of high school football in the area. Over the next few weeks, we will take an "Early Look" at high school football, including each of the city schools and Marshall. Look for complete season previews, lists of key players and schedules and video interviews of the head coaches, go to www.battlecreekenquirer.com starting Monday of the first week of the season on Aug. 22.

Contact Bill Broderick at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on Twitter @billbroderick

This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: 5 things to know for 2022 high school football season