Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said Friday that while he still has hopes for a fall season, spring football is “very doable.”
As COVID-19 cases have increased in Oklahoma and throughout the south, Riley said it is important that all options be considered.
“I think people who say it’s not [an option]I just don’t want to think about that in my opinion, “Riley said on a Zoom call with reporters.” I think it would be wrong of us to take any potential option off the table right now. I think it would be very difficult to say that spring is not a potential option. For my part, I think it is very feasible. “
Riley emphasized that he believes the current schedule may still work, including the first game of the season on September 5 against the State of Missouri.
“I hope we can play in the fall and do it as close as we’ve always done before,” said Riley. “If we can do that, I agree, if that is the best option. But we have seen, at least at this time, that warm weather does not affect this. [virus] a lot, what we expected it to be. “
A spring schedule would mean shortening the season, more than likely, along with adjusting summer time and possibly working with the NFL to change the draft dates.
“It would probably be a conference season and just a postseason,” Riley said. “We have often seen teams go in and play well in the college football tie in January and start spring practice sometime in February, and no one says a word about it. It would have to give players plenty of free time. to get their bodies in the summer. Maybe a little later the next fall will start. “
One reason for a possible change is national medical leaders raising the prospect of a coronavirus vaccine by the end of this year or the beginning of next.
“There have been positive things in terms of some of the treatments that are starting to develop that would obviously have an impact on the players, the staff, the fans, everyone,” said Riley.
He said he knew the Sooners would have positive coronavirus tests before the players began training on Wednesday. Fourteen Oklahoma soccer players tested positive, along with two of the 72 staff members who were screened, the school said.
“We are a kind of microcosm across the country right now,” said Riley. “We certainly didn’t expect zero.”
Riley was one of six employees who earned $ 1 million or more and was asked to accept a 10% pay cut when athletic director Joe Castiglione implemented budget cuts of approximately $ 13.7 million. The coach said it was not a difficult decision.
“Joe stopped by the house and told me what he was thinking,” said Riley. “It took me about 2½ seconds, and I said I was fine with that. We all have to adapt. Everything is unprecedented, and we all have to do our part. I saw no reason why I should do it. Be different.”
For now, Riley said he is focused on keeping his players safe and trying to figure out the next phase of practice.
“At some point, you have to play soccer, and it’s difficult to do it without two close people,” he said. “It is difficult to go to the next step until you have done the previous one. I think we want to take our time and see how it unfolds.”
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