6 things I think about Oregon high school football

The regular season is nearly at an end, so it feels like an appropriate time to take a look at what we might expect over the next month.   I discuss everything from the 6A playoff bracket to a new transfer rule proposal to thoughts on state player of the year.   Here's 6 things I think about Oregon 6A high school football:   1. The OSAA might just get the 6A bracket right   Every year we are reminded not to pay attention to the OSAA's rankings until the end of the year, because before that they don't make sense.   And then the regular season concludes, they still don't make much sense and we all shrug and sign up for another year with a minor tweak.   But right now, the rankings look pretty solid.   West Linn is No. 1 in human polls and in the rankings, followed by rising contender Nelson, undefeated Willamette and serious threat Lake Oswego.   Then, it's Central Catholic and Lakeridge.    Ideally, I'd love to see West Linn and Lake Oswego on opposite sides of the bracket, but the Lions already dismissed the Lakers 38-16 this season.    While I think that could very well be the title game, I could see the argument that Lake Oswego should have to go through West Linn to earn a state title shot after that defeat.    Honestly, there's not much to complain about.   I just hope it remains relatively logical at the top by season's end.    2. Transfers should have to sit out 3 game - no exceptions   We've got a “let him play” movement going in Tualatin for Amanki Hanoa (I agree) and finger pointing all over the state accusing teams of cheating by getting transfers.    I've got a solution, but admittedly it's not perfect.   Frankly, it's too hard to regulate transfers.   In California, student-athletes are literally transferring by the thousands.   Oregon's “problem” is relatively minor.   Kids are kids, and no rule is going to stop parents and adults from finding ways around them to load up a roster.   So, why not create a rule that student-athletes who transfer must sit out the first three games of the football season?   No exceptions.    If there's blatant cheating, the OSAA can seek further penalty.   Athletes transfer to make a run at a championship with a better program?    Fine. Sit out three non-league games. Go make your title run.   A player falls into a gray area, so the OSAA marks the student-athlete ineligible for the entire season?    Not cool. It's about kids. Sit out three games and call it good.   A family legitimately moves into a new district?   Congrats on the new pad. 3 games and welcome to the community.    Do I think that system is perfect? No. Very few things in this world are perfect.   But it removes most of the headache from the OSAA, it might make some kids think twice about transferring just to load up a roster and the “gray-area kids” get to play after sitting out the non-league schedule, rather than missing an entire season.   3. West Linn is the clear-cut No. 1   Human polls and computers agree.   West Linn is the state's best team.   I hope it stays that way come bracket time.   The Lions are deep and extremely well-coached.    While the front seven isn't the biggest, they fly to the football and the secondary is lockdown.   On offense, junior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='937233' first='Sloan' last='Baker'] has been brilliant in his first year as the starter, and there's no real weakness with the pieces around him.   West Linn's 38-16 win over Lake Oswego was the state's most impressive victory of the season… by a wide margin.   The Lions are the state title favorites, and in a tier of their own.   4. Oliver Leubkert belongs in Player of the Year conversations   Lake Oswego running back LaMarcus Bell, Lake Oswego two-way standout [player_tooltip player_id='457009' first='Sam' last='Vyhlidal'], West Linn quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='937233' first='Sloan' last='Baker'], West Linn two-way standout [player_tooltip player_id='632957' first='Josiah' last='Molden'], Mountainside quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1232699' first='Cade' last='Mitchell'], Glencoe running back [player_tooltip player_id='1232743' first='Daniel' last='Heninger'] and Willamette quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='904208' first='Zeke' last='Thomas'] and edge-rusher [player_tooltip player_id='739439' first='Tony' last='Cumberland'] are all in this conversation.   So, admittedly it's a deep group of standouts.   But what Beaverton senior [player_tooltip player_id='769925' first='Oliver' last='Luebkert'] is doing this season is worthy of serious attention.   Near the midway point of the season, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound pass-catcher had hauled in 61 receptions for 980 yards and 16 touchdowns - all tops at the 6A level.   Then last week, he put up an historic stat line: 16 receptions, 393 yards, 7 touchdowns.   For the season, he's now at 88 receptions for 1,507 yards and 24 touchdowns.   5. It's an historic year for running backs    It's been a phenomenal year for running backs in the state of Oregon.   Lake Oswego senior LaMarcus Bell is a legit player of the year contender and just picked up an offer from the Oregon Ducks, while Lakeridge senior [player_tooltip player_id='284119' first='Ansu' last='Sanoe'], a Washington Huskies commit, is also having an all-state season.   Glencoe's [player_tooltip player_id='1232743' first='Daniel' last='Heninger'] has been the surprise of the fall, dominating opponents on his way to 2,206 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns, averaging 11.7 yards per carry.   Jesuit's [player_tooltip player_id='1591586' first='Luke' last='Ortner'] has been equally impressive and recently set the school record for rushing yards in a game.   That quartet is special, but there are several others putting together strong seasons.   It's a great year to be ball-carrier in Oregon.    6. Nelson is legit   When the Nelson Hawks beat Lakeridge in Week 0 we called an upset.   Now, it's a trend.   Nelson disposed of Central Catholic last week, 26-6, and is 7-1 - with a lone loss coming out-of-state.   The Hawks are extremely well coached and boast a couple of the state's best players, junior wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='937176' first='Malachi' last='Garlington'] and senior athlete [player_tooltip player_id='1110921' first='Chaz' last='Katoanga'].   I have no idea how far Nelson will go in the postseason, as a lot will depend on the bracket, but it wouldn't be a shock to see him in the semifinals or finals if everything breaks right.   They've already proven they can beat two top-5 opponents.   West Linn and Lake Oswego may be a different animal altogether, but I'm not dismissing Nelson easily.   They're a big-time team playing good football.

The regular season is nearly at an end, so it feels like an appropriate time to take a look at what we might expect over the next month.

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6 things I think about Oregon high school football

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