The IHSA announced Tuesday that the football playoffs will be expanding from 256 to 384 teams, an increase that will feature an additional 16 teams in each class, starting in 2026.

The changes include first-round byes for the top 16 teams in Class 7A and 8A and the top eight teams in the north and south brackets in Class 1A through 6A. The season will start a week earlier in August with a shortened period for preseason practices. The expansion means all teams with four and three wins will likely automatically make the playoffs.

The Northwest Herald reached out to several local coaches, and here are their reactions.

“I’m excited that more high schools and communities will experience the IHSA playoffs and be participants. November high school football gives everyone involved a great sense of pride and helps set the school culture for the rest of the year.”

– Mike Brasile, Woodstock

“I’ve always appreciated the traditional standard of five wins to qualify for the playoffs because it creates truly meaningful seasons and sets a high bar that isn’t easy to reach. At the same time, I’m excited about this change and curious to see how it plays out moving forward. Expanding the field opens up opportunities for schools in very competitive conferences to still have a path to the playoffs, even when their schedules are especially challenging. The addition of byes for top teams also helps reward excellence during the regular season, which I think is important. Overall, I’m looking forward to seeing how this evolves and what new opportunities it creates for programs and student-athletes across the state.”

– Colt Nero, McHenry

“We were definitely not in favor of the changes. The Illinois high school football playoff system was special, and advancing to the playoffs was an accomplishment. Watering down the playoff field only takes away from what it meant to ‘make the playoffs.’ When we were 3-6 [in 2022] and didn’t make the tournament, it only fueled our program to work harder.”

– Brad Seaburg, Cary-Grove

“We’re excited about the IHSA’s recent rule change and the opportunity it may provide for more teams to reach the playoffs. Expanding playoff access not only builds belief within a program, but it also gives players – especially younger athletes – additional meaningful practice opportunities to develop and grow. Our Chargers compete in the Fox Valley Conference, and we fully understand how challenging our league is week in and week out. Historically, reaching the playoffs has not always been a realistic goal for us. This rule change gives our players a greater chance to earn that opportunity and potentially compete against teams from other conferences, which is something we welcome. At Dundee-Crown, we emphasize controlling what we can control. Our players and staff are committed to working as hard as possible this offseason to give ourselves a chance to be part of the state playoffs. Ultimately, this rule change doesn’t alter our approach. It simply gives our kids a better opportunity if we continue to follow the process and do things the right way. At this point, our main focus is gaining clarity on how the rule truly impacts summer practices and program preparation. Once that is clearly defined, we’ll be better positioned to fully understand its long-term impact."

– Mike Steinhaus, Dundee-Crown

“It’s hard to say. The six-win qualifier has always meant something in Illinois. It was something that programs took pride in by earning that right to play in the postseason, but I see both sides to it. It would be nice if you are able to make the top 16 in the class and earn a bye week to get players healed up. It was always something that set football apart from the other sports in earning that right to play in the postseason. I’m kind of impartial to it. I would prefer to earn our right into the playoffs by getting to that six-win mark.”

– Brian Zimmerman, Jacobs