The Coaching Associations from Michigan and Ohio have agreed to have an annual High School All Star game starting next year in Findlay, Ohio. Apparently this will replace the current Michigan High School Football game that has been played annually for the last couple of decades.
I applaud this move by the organizations because I believe it will help high school football in the state of Michigan get better. Obviously these two states have a rivalry that most likely dates back a few hundred years but the Michigan/Ohio State football rivalry is probably the main reason for the current rift or hatred.
Many in Ohio have already termed this game a bloodbath in favor of their home state but I couldn’t disagree more. If Michigan approaches this game the right way, that is, by playing our best players; we will be more than competitive.
I have been tooling around on the ESPN recruiting database and seemed to have found some interesting numbers. Looking at the class of 2014, Michigan has sixty-seven players that have committed to Division I schools while Ohio has around seventy-nine. These numbers may not be entirely accurate but I did get them right from the database. Each state will field a team of 40 players. Does Ohio have an edge here? Maybe, but exactly how much?
Let’s hope that Michigan chooses to send multiple players from each school. The Michigan All Star Game only allowed one player from each school to participate. This was for obvious reasons but a school like Cass Tech could have had 5 or 6 play in the game instead of 1 if the rules were different.
If Michigan sends their big boys every year this will be a game worth going to see on an annual basis.
All Star games are a waste of time and a risk of injury. It is a great honor, be named to the "team", but don't have a game.
Most games turn out in a fight or someone gets hurt. At this level most or all are going on to the next level, whats the point? Great experience? HS football, and playing for your school is a great experience. Going to college and playing for them and bonding with that group of guys is a great experience. In my mind these games are a waste of time. Being a parent if my kid was going to play at the next level i'd never let him play. The only way i would is if he wasn't playing at the next level and most of those kids end up fighting or getting hurt because they're out of shape!
Chris great insight..love your blog keep it up, but I think this all star game is a waste of time!! Looking fwd to some HL football!!
Ohio is very rich in talent as most know around here. If both send their best it might be a good game but the edge would surely go to OH in most years.
They would be much deeper for sure, which in one game probably doesn't mean much however.
I am not a fan of All-star games in general. For me, the beauty of HS football is the different styles of play and how well each squad executes those styles. An all star game pretty much is void of all that.
I am sure the game is a big deal to the kids who participate and their parents and that is a pretty cool thing.
-bn