THE BURNING QUESTION: Why not eight-man football?

Gridiron football is the top sport in America, if nowhere else on the planet.

It is fronted by the National Football League with games littered throughout the calendar almost daily from August through February, or so it seems.

The college game generates regionalism and fans of 3-9 teams claim greatness because their better neighbor makes them look better.

In states like Texas or Ohio, high school football is a rite of passage for so many boys (and girls?) alike and moreover the entire United States.

Recently, Poplar Bluff made a memorable playoff run and Missouri may be more of a “basketball state,” but football is still a thing.

That leads to Southeast Missouri — and namely Butler, Wayne, Stoddard, Ripley and Carter counties — where three 11-man teams dot the landscape, but nothing else. Where there is Dexter, Doniphan and Malden along with the aforementioned Mules, the small schools have none.

Not even eight-man football, whereas in other states schools of even less than 100 students celebrate the weekly gathering on the gridiron.

So, why no eight-man football? For schools like Puxico, Greenville, Clearwater, East Carter and Twin Rivers, the student population is more than enough for a program — ranging between 125-300 students.

Steve Wieseler, athletic director of Wynot High School in northeastern Nebraska, works at a school with a continually dominant program in eight-man, something of a big deal in that neck of the woods.

Wynot has 60 total students, 23 of which are freshmen according to Wieseler.

“It’s a good culture — coaches are always encouraging kids to play and treat them right,” Wieseler said. “It’s community pride. Yes, it is pretty unusual since last year we had 31 kids out for football maybe only four or five didn’t play.

“We probably have an average of 90 percent extracurricular participation by students across the board in all programs including drama. The kids keep their noses clean and stay busy meaning they don’t get involved in drugs, etc.”

The DAR asked administrators from East Carter, Clearwater, Greenville, Neelyville and Puxico their take on why not eight-man football, and the answers were pretty consistent with some variation.

“I think for us it comes down to two things: The money and competition,” Greenville principal and boys basketball coach Nathan Walk said. “I'm pretty sure the majority of eight-man football schools are all in northern Missouri. Financially I don't see us being able to ever swing the initial cost of starting a football program.

“I don’t think we could sustain it. Lights alone would cost over $100,000. Then the construction of a field and equipment would potentially put us around a million dollars for the project. Our total operating budget for the entire district is around $4.5M a year.”

Clearwater superintendent Judd Marquis also noted the financial burden.

“The biggest reasons are startup, and running costs,” Marquis said. “Many schools spend significant amounts of money on football facilities, equipment, and maintenance costs. This one sport would add to the overall budget for limited gains compared to other sports. There are many other factors, but that’s the biggest.

“We just don’t have $75-$100,000 to spend on facilities, insurance, and maintenance costs.”

A number of athletic directors voiced the same concern: Even if they could start it, could they keep it up?

“I would say the main reason is the lack of schools in our area with the program,” East Carter’s Jordan Penn said. “No one wants to be the first program to start it down here with no other teams to play. All the teams with eight-man football are on the far west side of Missouri, as well as the northwest corner. The closest school to us (in Missouri) that plays eight-man football would be Greenfield High School in Dadeville, which is three hours and 15 minutes from us.”

That doesn’t mean Penn thinks it’s a bad concept.

“I don't think it would be a bad thing for this area to look into, but I would say most schools, including ours, would frown on the program due to the cost of starting and maintaining a football program,” Penn said. “This area of the state is just not a big football area and I believe that eight-man football would be difficult to add in this area.”

Neelyville athletic director Becky Hale also noted the financial challenges but did add the sport couldn’t hurt the competitive nature of the kids.

“I do think it makes your kids tougher,” Hale said. “Both of mine have participated in youth football at neighboring schools. I think we would have the interest student-wise, but we don't have the space, facilities or finances. Just to start up a program would be a big undertaking financially."

Puxico used to have an 11-man football program but ceased operations decades ago due to injury concerns, according to athletic director Bryant Fernetti, who could not confirm when the last season was on the gridiron for the school.

“I think at this point the liability issues and financial issues would be tough for schools to start eight-man,” Fernetti said. “Also, in our area, we don't have schools with eight-man. You would have to get 10 schools or so in our area on board to start a conference to help with travel.

“That would make it tough and probably why we don't see it in our area.”