Big ten presidents apparently voted 12-2 to cancel the 2020 football season … other reports said they did not.
Then there were reports that the presidents would meet again Monday night at 6 a.m. to deliver the absolute definitive plan ahead – it turned out to be a conversation among conference Athletic directors with no definitive outcome.
ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit does seem to be gaining some traction after the ACC – expected by some to follow the Big Ten’s lead – insisted they would continue as planned with expectations of the season. Herbtreit tweeted that the conference would postpone, not cancel, if it came up.
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As Ross Dellenger of SI.com wrote, “many expected intense pressure to be put on other conferences with the Big Ten decision. Increasingly today, it is the Big Ten that is receiving an enormous amount of pressure – of players, politicians and their own coaches – a decision has not yet been announced. “
Among them – Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts.
“I believe it’s absolutely something we can do here in Nebraska,” he said.
What’s clear … the vast majority of college footballers want to play, and they’re supported by their coaches. Jim Harbaugh, Michigan’s head coach, was among them, and today left several reasons why he felt the season would continue.
Several parents, including projected starting quarterback Dylan McCaffrey’s, were appreciative and showed their support for the way UM cared for their children.
“We strongly believe that denying these players the opportunity to play football this season would jeopardize their fitness, their luck and their futures,” wrote Lisa McCaffrey.
When junior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson expressed his longing to play, his father, former Michigan All-American and ER doctor Chris Hutchinson, supported him.
“I support Aidan, not only as his father, but as an ER doc who has lived through some of the worst Covid’s in the country,” he tweeted. “I encourage them to play because the protocols at the University of Michigan have proven to work. I feel like my son is in the safest program and conference in the country.”
Monday night, several sources indicated that Big Ten schools were informing their student-athletes and their parents that football is a very real possibility. Michigan trained today and remains prepared as if this fall would be a season.
If not, however, it looks more and more likely that spring football will mean more than just practice in 2021. And don’t count on falling. An Ohio State source told Cleveland.com the Buckeyes would not vote to cancel football in 2020, and head coach Ryan Day fired a shot over the bow when asked what measures he would take if the conference marched.
Ohio State Coach Day was just asked on ESPN about playing in a conference other than the Big Ten concludes: “We need to look at each option. And if that’s the only option, we need to investigate it and see if that’s something. we can do it. “
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– Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) August 10, 2020
Scott Frost of Nebraska also said his program would explore other possibilities as well.
But there is still a lot to consider, including a recent report on potential heart problems among COVID survivors.
Heart problem linked to COVID-19 fuels Power 5 concerns; medical sources say at least five Big Ten athletes and other athletes in Power 5 have been found to have post-COVID heart problems. https://t.co/x7DgMJNkqW
– Paula Lavigne (@pinepaula) August 10, 2020
From now on, however, the Big Ten decision is pending, and coaches continue to fight for the wishes of their players to play.
“While we all agree that there is a lot of uncertainty, the best decision at the moment is not to cancel the season,” Penn Frank’s James Franklin said in a release. “I plead for the Big Ten to consider all possibilities to retain college football this fall.”
ESPN reported late Monday night that league presidents were expected to vote Tuesday morning at 10:30 a.m. on whether to postpone the season until Sept. 26 or opt for a spring season.
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