UCLA believes it needs closer to eight weeks because players have not been working out regularlyGETTY IMAGES
The unified group of Pac-12 execs, presidents, ADs and coaches that had "navigated the pandemic for six months has fractured, with deep frustration at multiple levels," according to sources cited by Jon Wilner of the San Jose MERCURY NEWS. The aggravation "boiled over after the presidents declined Friday" to set a start date for the football season, "likely delaying the season openers until Nov. 7." Many teams had "hoped to play Oct. 31." But the presidents "declined to move forward" because "not every school can be ready for Halloween." Sources said that UCLA, in particular, "believes it needs closer to eight weeks because players have not been working out regularly." But sources also said that "at least half the teams could be ready for games on Oct. 31." The Arizona and Mountain schools, in particular, have been "able to work out regularly with most of their players," so their "ramp time, for instance, could be significantly less than the eight weeks UCLA is said to need." If the presidents approve the restart when they meet again on Thursday, teams "would have five weeks to get ready for a Halloween kickoff." Wilner: "Those that can do it safety in five would do it in five" (San Jose MERCURY NEWS, 9/20).
POWER STRUGGLE: In Portland, John Canzano wrote there is "another glaring cause for the delay that nobody is really talking about," the fact that some Pac-12 coaches are "giving conference headquarters the middle finger." Pac-12 coaches have "watched players opt out of the season and hire agents." And they have seen "other players transfer" and are "having to answer questions in recruiting about how serious the conference is about competing nationally." Jobs are "at stake and they’re watching the Pac-12 essentially act as a follower, suddenly motivated to play only after the Big Ten left them standing alone." A handful of conference coaches are "frustrated that the Pac-12 had no plan." A couple of them are "bent at the lack of leadership and how this unfolded" (Portland OREGONIAN, 9/20).
DIFFERENT DYNAMIC OUT WEST: In L.A., Brady McCollough wrote the Big Ten was "willing to ignore" the potential public health issue of staging college football games in the "face of mounting public pressure from players, coaches, parents and politicians, including President Trump." The Pac-12 presidents and chancellors have "not had to deal with any kind of a firestorm like that -- and won’t have to, no matter how frustrated their diehard fans are with being the oddball Power Five league still clinging to any moral high ground." McCollough: "It was almost as if these [Pac-12] university presidents still were looking at the big picture of their decision." The Pac-12 "still has the opportunity to weigh its decision from a public health perspective" (L.A. TIMES, 9/20).
