Baird's Move to 6-Man Football Affecting Concho Valley Teams

BAIRD, TX -- After 97 years of playing 11-man football, the Baird Bears will move down to play six-man football starting this season.

The decision came after two hours of deliberation and a 6-1 vote in closed session at the Baird ISD School Board meeting on Monday night, KTXS reported.

"Ultimately the decision was made because we felt it was in best interest of all of our kids and our program going forward," Baird athletic director and head football coach Joel Baker told KTXS.

With Baird making the transition between the UIL's biennial realignment, the Bears will play an 'outlaw' schedule in 2019 before the 2020 realignment in February. They will not have any district opponents.

The Concho Valley has felt the ripple effect from the Big Country school. Baird had three opponents from the Concho Valley on their schedule.

Grape Creek, Menard and Miles were slated to play the Bears this season and are now scrambling to find an opponent less than two months from the start of two-a-days.

Grape Creek athletic director and head football coach tweeted on Monday that the Eagles are now looking for a week one opponent. For Menard and Miles, it's the second opponent on their schedule to drop to the six-man ranks with former district foe Irion County opting to play an outlaw schedule as well.

Baird went 4-6 in their final year of 11-man football.