The bi-annual UIL realignment will be a little different this year. Instead of grouping the high schools of Texas into traditional 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A and 5A, a new classification, 6A, has been thrown into the mix.

At first glance, 6A sounds like a new mega-size for the Allen’s and Duncanville’s of Texas. This, according to head football coach Jeff Smith, is a misconception.

“The 6A classification is a little misleading,” Coach Smith said. “All they did was take 6 man football and make them 1A and made 1A to 2A, 2A to 3A, 3A to 4A, 4A to 5A, 5A to 6A. They’re not going to take these super huge schools and make a 6A. 6A will obviously be the biggest school classification in the state, but it’s really just the old 5A.”

6 man football refers to an alternative football style played by small schools who don’t have enough players to field an 11 man team. The 1A classification currently includes both 6 man football and regular sized football.

To simplify the system, UIL is splitting 6 man football into its own 1A classification and bumping up every other classification. If McKinney “stays” 5A after the new realignment, it will be with every school that is currently 4A.

The UIL student population snapshot was taken on Oct. 25. McKinney High School reported a population of 2,076. That population would have lowered it back to the old 4A during the last snapshot, but keep it in the old 5A in the realignment before that.

UIL will announce next year’s school classifications in late November.

by Ben Johnson