UPDATE 12/20: In late November, Alleman sent a letter to the other schools in the Western Big 6, letting them know that the Pioneers would NOT be playing in the conference in football in 2024. QCSportsNet has obtained a copy of that letter. It will be read in its entirety, and discussed in detail, on tonight’s Full Court Press, 7:00 p.m. at Riverfront Grille in Rock Island and live on QCSportsNet.com. Alleman Coach Jeff Schmulbach would not comment on whether the Pioneers will seek to play a non-conference schedule in 2024, or remain JV-only for the second straight year. Moline, which would have played Alleman in Week 6, struck an agreement to play that week at Thornton Township, thus avoiding having an 8-game schedule for the third consecutive year.
UPDATE 12/19: Statement from Alleman Coach Jeff Schmulbach:
- The vote was 58% to 42% against
- Moline has scheduled a non-conference game in Alleman’s slot
- Statement from Alleman High School coming later today
- Schools approve pre-season scrimmages vs. other schools as an option instead of intra-squad games
Dec. 19, 2023 – In voting results released today, member high schools of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) voted 379 to 272 (58.2% to 41.8%) against a proposal to implement District Football, in which every school would be assigned an 8-team district within its classification (1A to 8A) by IHSA and would play seven of its nine games each year within that district, with the top four teams in district play making the playoffs. 79 schools abstained. The defeat was by a similar margin to 2019, when the proposal went down, 60% to 40%, after initially passing in 2018 before the full extent of the plan was known.
After the announcement, Moline Coach Mike Morrissey told QCSportsNet, “We’re very excited about the results of the voting. It helps keep the traditional games of a great conference with natural rivalries in place. Excited about our schedule for next fall and keeping the Friday Night Lights experience the WB6 provides for our kids and community!”
Perhaps in anticipation of the proposal’s defeat, and with the prospects of Alleman playing varsity football within the Western Big 6 in 2024 uncertain, Moline has already scheduled its Week 6 game to be played at Thornton Township on Oct. 4, in the slot where the Pioneers would have been. “We couldn’t wait around and miss out on another game for the 3rd straight season,” said Morrissey. “Had to do what was in the best interest of our kids and program.” And if Alleman should decide to return to playing in the WB6 in 2024? “We signed a contract with Thornton and will honor that this fall regardless of any changes Alleman makes at the last minute,” said Morrissey.
United Township Coach Nick Welch told QCSportsNet, “Relieved that it didn’t go through. I know that everyone has their own arguments and vantage points on what’s best for their schools which is completely fair. At the end of the day the “uncertainty” of districts and lack of a clear plan are why I feel this is a good decision.”
Alleman Coach Jeff Schmulbach, Morrissey, and Welch had staked out their positions while appearing on the Nov. 29 edition of Full Court Press, QCSportsNet’s weekly live local sports talk program. Schmulbach at the time acknowledged that perhaps no school in the state of Illinois would benefit more from District Football than Alleman, where he is hard at work building back the football program to be able to compete at the varsity level after fielding only a JV team this past Fall.
Alleman officials tell QCSN they plan to release a statement sometime today.
Schools did approve a proposal by a margin of 64% to 36% to allow football teams to conduct a pre-season scrimmage with another school. Scrimmages would use IHSA officials and be limited to four separate 12-play segments, with no special teams play, and there would be no live contact in practice the day before or after. Such scrimmages would take place Friday or Saturday the weekend before the start of the regular season and – if schools choose to go the scrimmage route – would replace the intra-squad scrimmages currently held, such as Moline’s Maroon & White scrimmage, Rock Island’s Red-Gold Game, and United Township’s Panther Preview.
