You would not believe the "work-arounds" and "back doors" available to HS students not really making the grade to advance. Credit recovery gimmicks abound, some of which are so non-traditional that AI can do all the work to be submitted. Ask any HS math teacher about the the number of students...
Separating Stagg from their long-time D230 brethren (Sandburg & Andrew) could be a tough sell. However, maybe the same was said before 'Brook and Romeoville divorced?
They would probably fare in the league similar to Andrew: come up short usually vs the 3 LWs, maybe steal one vs HF, Bradley, Sandburg, Lockport then beat Stagg. Get a win or two in non-con(s).
Track/field CAN be good for football players under certain conditions. The more alignments between how each program is run is important, however. For example, the underpinning structures of both regarding organization and accountability being similar is helpful. Also, being mindful of the...
Whenever I read about an "involved" playoff system or proposal beyond a straight split, I can not help but be reminded of Ockham's Razor. It is a guiding principle of logic and problem-solving initiated centuries ago that proposed keeping things as simple as possible. Like the US Navy's KISS...
Wow ... get that #2 leg the stick as early as possible in the exchange zone and let him keep it as late as possible! He was even, then began leavin' !!
The Kingsmen of Joliet East hosted an evening relay format track meet in the late 60s that featured a low hurdle shuttle race on the football field grass. Pretty "groovy" I thought at the time.
Larry McCarren (center from Rich East under George Egofske, to Illinois) - Green Bay 1973
Mirko Jurkovic (guard from TF North under Jerry Munda, to Notre Dame) - Bears 1992
So much plain truth, IMO, in your last sentence. Trying to squeeze fairness and equity out of systems that are just so fundamentally different is seemingly too complicated with any combination of present or new methods that are short of separation - the nuclear option.