Should the IHSA keep its 256-team football playoff field? Or should it be doubled, guaranteeing (virtually) all Illinois high schools a postseason berth? This playoff realignment, where teams play eight regular season games instead of nine, is part of a proposal that has been sent to the IHSA. Expanded discussions on the topic by the IHSA Legislative Commission take place later this month. Joe Collins, Jared Storck and “Edgy” Tim O’Halloran weigh each side of the debate. They also open the podcast reflecting on the dramatic opening round wins and then look ahead to second round action. Which teams will move one step closer to DeKalb and a state championship?

Which games have the biggest upset potential? Who has the toughest path out of the early rounds of the playoffs? Joe Collins, Jared Storck and “Edgy” Tim O’Halloran break down the opening round of the IHSA football playoffs. And they have some help: coaching legend Terry McCombs joins the group for some analysis. McCombs, now in his 48th year of high school football coaching, leads his Minooka Indians into play Friday night against Notre Dame. He gives his synopsis on the matchup, the 8A bracket and relays his favorite advice and memories from nearly five decades of coaching.

Which teams are on the right side of the IHSA playoff bubble? What seems to be the magic number for playoff points? Shaw Media’s Steve Soucie, our resident bracketologist, puts the IHSA football playoffs in perspective. He is joined by hosts Joe Collins, Jared Storck and “Edgy” Tim O’Halloran. For some teams, a win puts them in the playoffs. For others, it’s win…and hope that a few other teams across the state help shape the standings in their favor. All this, plus a look at the Week Nine High School Lites rundown and much more.

October is the most fascinating month on the sports calendar-- all of the major sports overlap in some capacity. Illinois’ high school football schedule peaks in its own way around the middle of the month: pairing show night. Joe Collins, Jared Storck, “Edgy” Tim O’Halloran and IHSA broadcaster Dave Bernhard reflect on why this time of year is so special on the high school football landscape. Also, the panel explores key storylines in each of the classes and predict possible matchups. All this, plus a look at the Week Eight rundown and much more.

The Chicago Public League has initiated a flag football league, due in large part to 12 schools dropping traditional football from their athletic programs. Is this the answer for low football participation numbers? Is it the beginning of a larger trend across the city/state? “Edgy” Tim O’Halloran and High School Lites producers Joe Collins and Jared Storck debate the topic. The panel also welcomes Daily Herald writer Kevin Schmit, who discusses the past, present and future of the DuPage Valley conference. All this, plus Week Seven predictions and much more.

Peoria High School scored 94 points –in football—against Bloomington on Friday. They are averaging close to 70 points on the season. Will they score 100 points in a game this year? Can the Lions repeat as 5A state champs? Joe Collins, Jared Storck and “Edgy” Tim O’Halloran catch up with their head coach, Tim Thornton. Also: Niles North (hazing) and Whitney Young (low participation numbers) have suspended their football programs for the rest of the season. How does this impact the future of these programs? The panel discusses this topic and sets up Week 6 on the High School Lites calendar.

Excellent teams. Tradition. Locality. Fan base animosity. They’re the cornerstones of what make a great high school football rivalry. In this edition of CSN Chicago’s High School Lites podcast, Joe Collins, Jared Storck and “Edgy” Tim O’Halloran dive into this topic and discuss which ones stand out above the rest in Illinois. The panel also break down the newly-released IHSA playoff outlook and discuss the early candidates for offensive player of the year. They’ll also look ahead to Friday’s matchups, which feature several teams jostling for playoff position.

In this edition of CSN Chicago’s High School Lites podcast, Joe Collins, Jared Storck and “Edgy” Tim O’Halloran catch up with East Aurora head coach (and former Super Bowl XX Champion Chicago Bears guard) Kurt Becker. Discussion points include the new state-of-the-art playing field at the school and how it could serve as a building block for the Tomcat program. Also: Kurt describes how an NFL background has helped bridge the gap between football and parents who are questioning if their sons should play the game. Joe, Jared and “Edgy” also break down Week 4 IHSA action and reflect on sub-.500 teams who could turn their season around and make the playoffs.

In this edition of CSN Chicago’s High School Lites podcast: Homewood-Flossmoor went road tripping last week --777 miles to be exact—from Chicago’s southern suburbs to Durham, North Carolina. We catch up with Vikings head coach Craig Buzea on how the team pulled off the trip…and got a win to boot. “Edgy” Tim O’Halloran and High School Lites producer Jared Storck joined Joe Collins to preview Week Three on the IHSA calendar and examine the biggest surprises thus far on the 2017 season. Scott Phillips also joins the panel to break down some key basketball verbal commitments in the previous week and look ahead to the recruiting landscape and key expectations in the 2017-18 basketball season.

In this edition of CSN Chicago’s High School Lites podcast: is it a matter of parity…or parody? Is it a changing of the guard among the prep football elite or is it simple a matter of heart, hustle and muscle? There were quite a few upsets –and eye-opening scores—in Week One IHSA football action. One of those head-turning games was Phillips’ huge win over Loyola at Gately Stadium. Wildcats head coach Troy McCallister checks in on the podcast with Joe Collins, Jared Storck and “Edgy” Tim O’Halloran. The guys also tee up the upcoming matchups on Friday’s High School Lites.