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Penn State AD unaware There was a vote to cancel the big ten season
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Penn State athletic director Sandy Barbour became the second manager of Big Ten to ask whether a formal vote was taken to cancel the fall 2020 football season with hopes of moving it to spring amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s unclear if there was ever a vote or not,” Barbour said Monday during a Zoom call.
Last week, President Joan Gabel of Minnesota offered a similar sentiment.
“We did not vote per se. It is a deliberative process where we reached a decision together,” sei se. “But I absolutely support the decision we made. Safety first. Absolutely, safety first.”
The Big Ten had previously finalized an August schedule on August 5th. Six days later, the decision was made to postpone the play until at least spring 2021.
Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren has come under increasing criticism for his leadership on the matter. Alders representing half of the Big Ten schools are appealing to the conference to reverse its decision. At least some of those parents asked for a personal meeting with Warren in hopes of getting a more detailed explanation.
Some players have spoken out until point Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields started an online petition from MoveOn.org with the hashtag #WeWantToPlay. As of Monday afternoon, the petition had 250,000 signatures.
Warren had a serious influence on the decision, Big Ten sources told CBS Sports. In the past, the league has typically voted as a body on matters this important. A spokesman for the league did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Radio host Dan Patrick said last week that the Big Ten presidents voted 12-2 on August 10 to move football to the spring a day before the conference made its announcement. Iowa and Nebraska voted against, Patrick said. However, league sources said that CBS Sports did not take a formal vote that day.
Last week’s news accounts all refer to a “vote” taken by Big Ten presidents on August 11 prior to the conference announcement. Warren, when impressed during an interview on Big Ten Network, said the league was not unanimous in its decision.
There has been a lot of speculation, but it has never been confirmed if a vote was taken or the count of the presumed vote.
“I will make myself much clearer about the statement,” Barbour said. “It’s unclear to me whether there was a vote or not. No one has ever told me there was one. I just do not know if it was actually by the chancellors and presidents.”
It was later revealed that at least Nebraska, Michigan and Ohio State had problems with the outcome. Cornhuskers coach Scott Frost said his program would consider all “options” to play in the fall of 2020. Ohio State AD Gene Smith said he wanted the league to wait before making a decision. Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh made it clear he was against the decision in a Wolverines release.
“Our schools do not always agree, but people understand … that we will be together in the Big Ten,” Warren said at the time of the decision.
Barbour said she would advocate for a face-to-face meeting between parents of Big Ten athletes and Warren.
“I will certainly always be in favor of our student-athletes and their families having so much information … [as possible], “she said.
