Corona Centennial's Matt Logan proposes compelling Division 1 playoff format on CIF Southern Section Sitdown

Matt Logan makes a good case for a 16-team Division 1 playoff, with an incentive, too

Corona Centennial football coach Matt Logan was a guest on the latest episode of the CIF Southern Section Sitdown.

Logan took over at Centennial in 1997 and is creeping closer to 300 wins in his time at the helm. He's now the all-time winningest high school football coach in Riverside County after reaching 280 wins this past fall.

He'll enter the 2024 fall season with 285 wins.

Logan chats with SBLive's Tarek Fattal about various topics, including the transfer era in high school athletics, his CIF State championship team in 2008, and many other things. 

But one topic he was most opinionated on was the CIF Southern Section's Division 1 playoff format.

St. John Bosco's Jason Negro shares gripes about playoff system

The last two years, the section has taken 10 and 8 teams, respectively, which makes teams in Division 1 take a bye week. Logan has an idea that would incentivize teams to get to the Division 1 playoffs

"We should take 16 teams, and the eight teams that lose go down to Division 2," Logan explained. "The losers of the first round will play out from there, and we all get a game - no byes."

It does make for a compelling subject, considering the 16 teams that qualify get a guaranteed two games.

"I think the way the system is now, it rewards mediocrity," Logan added. "To see teams at 3-7 get in (to the playoff) or teams drop down into lower divisions and have success is not fair. It's not right."

Of the 28 (11-man) football finalists in the CIF Southern Section in 2023, 12 entered the postseason with .500 records or worse. Six of those 12 teams won, including one 4-6 team.

CIF SOUTHERN SECTION SITDOWN

CIF's Thom Simmons explains how transfer rules can be changed 

Harvard-Westlake’s David Rebibo talks NIL, transfers, state title

Mater Dei's Gary McKnight talks Schea Cotton, 'the Manchild'