Administrators feel that their communities and athletes are strongly in favor of playing football this fallGETTY IMAGES
SEC ADs during their meeting at the conference's HQ on Monday discussed a potential model for an altered fall football season that "may include a 10-game schedule: eight conference games and two non-conference games," the intention being to save some of the marquee non-conference games on the schedule, according to Dellenger & Forde of SI.com. Barring a full, 12-game schedule, three models "emerged as strong possibilities with league power brokers: an eight-game conference-only schedule and a nine or 10-game plan that would preserve at least one scheduled matchup with a Power 5 conference program." Despite rising coronavirus case numbers nationwide, with many hotspots in the SEC’s 11-state footprint, the "consensus among administrators" remains that their communities and athletes are "strongly in favor of playing football this fall." Their decision "hinges not only on the decline of overall case numbers but also the success of professional sports teams, many of which are experiencing problems as they return to practice." An eight-game conference-only schedule "would provide the most testing continuity and flexibility," while a 10-game conference-only schedule is "unlikely to gain much support because of its rigors but is one of the many proposals." Officials said that the NCAA and Power 5 conferences are "working on a minimum testing standard that is expected to be released in the next week" (SI.com, 7/15).
TICKING CLOCK: In Baton Rouge, Scott Rabalais writes the "clock has not run out on the prospect of playing a football season in this coronavirus-burdened world, but it is ticking by rapidly." The time to decide is "drawing short." SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey "pointed to July 24 as a key date, a date where SEC schools will need to transition" from summer conditioning to "preparing for the full-scale practices." The "clock is ticking rapidly toward a go/no-go for launch call," and that has every stakeholder in the game, from commissioners and ADs to coaches and players, fans and even the media "more than a little anxious" (Baton Rouge ADVOCATE, 7/16). Univ. of Missouri interim Chancellor Mun Choi said if the football season is canceled, "The economic impact of the TV contracts and so forth are really massive. ... But we're also thinking about the safety of our student-athletes when they come back, so we're not going to treat them any differently than our regular students." Choi said playing football in the spring is "being considered by all of the conferences," but at "this point, we are going to open our season on September 5 in Columbia" (“Worldwide Exchange,” CNBC, 7/16).
CUE FROM OTHER SPORTS: ESPN's Marty Smith said Sankey “had originally intended to attend” last night's All-Star Race in Bristol, which had 20,000-plus fans in the stands, “but his schedule is so full he decided to watch from home near Birmingham.” Sankey in a recent call with SEC ADs “told them to all watch the race,” as it would provide the “first real look at what it looks like in a stadium when you put this many people in it.” Sankey “plans to have a conversation” with Bristol Motor Speedway President Jerry Caldwell “in the coming days about what he learned” (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 7/15). CBS Sports' Adam Schein said for Sankey, “following pro sports is very important here.” Meanwhile, Sankey is not “worried about the optics if students are not on campus” (“Time to Schein,” CBSSN, 7/15).
WHERE IS THE NCAA? In St. Louis, Dave Matter writes under the header, "Coronavirus Chaos Highlights NCAA Incompetence." There is a thought among ADs that teams "could be required to test athletes weekly, perhaps twice a week, including an antibody test 24 hours before competition." But Matter wonders, "Why exactly are we just now scrambling for solutions in July?" Matter: "Where has the NCAA been in all of this? The last few months have reminded us that the NCAA serves two major roles in college sports: party planner and hall monitor." There is "no unifying, galvanizing voice at the top." NCAA President Mark Emmert "just doesn’t command respect from the membership" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 7/16).
