Given the events of the weekend, Monday turned out to be a very interesting day in the land of college football. And it did not disappoint.
Between politicians lobbying with players for the right to play, head coaches venturing in and a renewal of sorts from SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, there was a ton of both news and reactions of the day in college football.
Bizarre day for the Big Ten
The big news this morning was a report by the Detroit Free Press that the Big Ten had canceled their season. But the official announcement of the conference never came. ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit, who played for Ohio State, appears to be clearing for the conference later in the day voting to postpone, and not canceling a fall season.
As we know this is a very fluid and persistent situation. Things are said one minute and changed the next. So we’ll see what happens in the next 24-48 hours. Number of options in play. We can all hope that there will be a CFB someday. https://t.co/E0IILbjBWW
– Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) August 10, 2020
The Big Ten is set to be the first of the Power 5 conferences to return to the field this season, with Ohio State and Illinois set to play on Sept. 3. The league had previously agreed to a 10-game, conference-only schedule.
Following this morning’s reports, a number of Big Ten head coaches came out with various statements, all of which were an advantage of playing a season. From Jim Harbaugh of Michigan, James Franklin of Penn State, Ryan Day of Ohio State and Scott Frost of Nebraska, each head coach made it very clear they wanted to play.
Statement by Jim Harbaugh. pic.twitter.com/CftMW7d5lC
– Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) August 10, 2020
Opening of opening of #Huskers HC Scott Frost.
“We want to play football at the University of Nebraska.” pic.twitter.com/dVxefwSPHm
– Husker Sports (@HuskerSports) August 10, 2020
I love our players and believe it is my responsibility to help them pursue their dreams, both collectively and individually. I’m ready to fight with them & for our program!#We are
– James Franklin (@coachjfranklin) August 10, 2020
Swing as hard as we possibly can now for these players !! This is not over! #FIGHT
– Ryan Day (@ryandaytime) August 10, 2020
If the Big Ten football closes … Ohio State would have to participate in the #SEC of #ACC ??
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day talks to College Football Live:
“We need to explore every option” pic.twitter.com/Cp7bYE5Nsi
– Brian Holland (@BHollandSports) August 10, 2020
Day and Frost both explained that if they could not play in the Big Ten this season, they would unpack any option and explore the possibility of playing at another conference this fall.
Political lobby for college football to be played
A day after the likes of Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields and Chubba Hubbard made the #WeWanttoPlay hashtag the top trending topic on Twitter, several politicians took to Twitter to vote that they also want to see college football played this season. Among them were U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Kelly Loeffler of Georgia and President Donald Trump multiple tweets on the matter.
Colleges and athletic conferences need to set politics apart and come together to find a way to play safe college football this season.
The players want to play. Would their voices not be heard either? https://t.co/8Wxz7DnIUt #WeWantToPlay #GoDawgs
– Kelly Loeffler (@KLoeffler) August 10, 2020
Even before #COVID many of the people who press to cancel #CollegeFootball have spent years killing youth & football football as a way to end the game.
They have no interest in coming to yes. Or in a fair cost-benefit analysis of playing versus not playing.
– Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) August 10, 2020
Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) Has drafted a letter that he intends to send to Big Ten presidents, identifying reasons why he thinks college football should be played.@SINow received a copy.
Sasse is a former president of the university. pic.twitter.com/xrpRjiWREf
– Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 10, 2020
The student-athletes have worked too hard for their season to cancel. #WeWantToPlay https://t.co/lI3CCKZ4ID
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2020
Play College Football!
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2020
However, not everyone associated with college football was excited about the politicians involved. Defensive back Michigan Reynolds of Michigan expresses his displeasure at how Trump has handled the pandemic, and put college football players in a place where they should miss a season.
If you had actually taken this virus seriously months ago, we would not even be in this situation .., https://t.co/l4hXVlYoKk
– Hunter Reynolds (@hunt_xxvii) August 10, 2020
Reynolds was not the only player who was not enthusiastic about some of the hypocrisy when it comes to athletes expressing themselves.
It’s funny how we have the power now and fans agree that we are trying to play through a PANDEMIC (of which no one is excused), but when athlete students talk about how we should be paid more, they tell us to quit to close and take a free education. Just funny to me I had to say something
– Jadon Haselwood @ (@jadon_haselwood) August 10, 2020
Let’s not do this, … stay awake 💯 https://t.co/BnTIA7ZXHX
– Rian “Trouble” Davis (@ Trouble_R4) August 10, 2020
People are so quick to make a decision about football or not, but can not make a decision about the people who killed Breonna Taylor … 🤔
– Trej (@TrejanBridges) August 10, 2020
What does it all mean for the SEC?
While the Big Ten seems on the verge of making a decision, the SEC seems content to continue on its path that it has set out to end. The league delayed the start of the season until Sept. 26, in part to see how introducing students to campus would affect cases.
Sankey provided an update on where the conference is located.
“Can we play,” Sankey asked on Twitter. ‘I do not know. We have not stopped trying. We support, educate and care for student-athletes every day and will continue to do so… every day. ”
… Test protocols developed… We know that concerns remain. We’ve never had a FB season in a COVID-19 environment. Can we play? I do not know. We have not stopped trying. We support, educate and care for student-athletes every day, and will continue to do so … every day.
– Greg Sankey (@GregSankey) August 10, 2020
Related: SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey unveils league standings amid uncertain times
Sankey was far from the only SEC figure to share her thoughts on where things stand on Monday. Both coaches – like Dani Mullen of Florida and Sam Pittman of Arkansas – and players like Auburn’s Bo Nix and Alabama’s Mac Jones have made it clear they want to play this season.
I’m so proud of our players. Their commitment to medical guidelines to stay safe has shown their determination in preparing the right way for the season. They deserve to play this fall. They have worked so hard here. Let’s fight for them and find a way. #WeWantToPlay
– Dan Mullen (@CoachDanMullen) August 10, 2020
The way our student athletes have handled these uncertain times is incredible and our staff is so proud of them. As the head coach of @RazorbackFB #WeWantToPlay
– Coach Sam Pittman (@CoachSamPittman) August 10, 2020
Thanks to the support of the FULL Auburn administration, we are safer playing a football season. We have worked all our lives to get to where we are now. Do not let it spoil. We need football. Listen to the players #WeWantToPlay
– Bo Nix (@ BoNix10) August 10, 2020
– Mac Jones (@ MacJones_10) August 10, 2020
Alabama head coach Nick Saban does not have Twitter, but he made his position clear in talks with ESPN’s Chris Low.
“I want to play, but I want to play for the sake of the players, the value they can create for themselves,” Saban told ESPN. ‘I know I’m getting criticized, despite what I say, that I do not care about player safety. See, players are a lot safer with us than running home. We have had a 2% positive ratio on our team since the fourth of July. ”
Tennessee Chancellor Donde Plowman also met Monday with the Tennessee team.
In the afternoon, I met with our football team and staff to have an open conversation about football one fall. At the end of our discussion I asked if they wanted to play football and the answer was a resounding YES. pic.twitter.com/cg9AFw4J86
– Donde Plowman (@DondePlowman) August 10, 2020
A handful of Georgia footballers have stated they want to play, but none of the Georgia coaches, including head coach Kirby Smart, have said anything about the matter.
Related: Football coach in Georgia, recruits make commitment to top 100 prospect Brock Bowers
But Georgia legend Herschel Walker asked to keep politics out of sports and allow players to play.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL… please please please please get the politics out of sports and let these guys PLAY !! We can put security protocols in place, but America must rejoice! #LetThemPlay @espn @FoxNews @CollegeGameDay @POTUS @realDonaldTrump @CollegeFootball @CNN @GeorgiaFootball
– Herschel Walker (@HerschelWalker) August 10, 2020
The biggest new concern
There was a new concern that crystallized Monday as an ESPN report outlined why the sudden change in the Big Ten. It comes from the conference that teaches more about COVID-19, specifically with the effects that the disease has on the heart and how it has led to cases of Myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, in five The Big Ten Athlete.
The studies done on COVID-19 and increase in Myocarditis are still in their infancy, but there is enough anecdotal evidence to raise the alarm. It is also just another example of knowing the risks in the long run not yet.
Unfortunately, we are still learning about the virus in real time. As much as some pundits would argue “university athletes are at greater risk of being struck by lightning,” the reality is, even doctors do not yet understand the long-term risks.
That’s what scares schools.
– Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) August 10, 2020
Boston Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez, who tested positive for COVID-19, was diagnosed with Myocarditis and because of that will not repeat this season. It will be worth checking out how much this specific issue will be discussed when you talk about whether athletes should come back and play again this fall.
Another conference and team pulls the plug
Before Monday, the Mid-American Conference and the University of Connecticut had announced that they would not be playing this fall. Another conference hosted the MAC, while Old Dominion announced it would not play this fall.
The Mountain West is now the second FBS conference to announce that it will be postponing its season. That means the likes of Boise State, Colorado State and Hawaii will not be playing this fall.
– Mountain West (@MountainWest) August 10, 2020
However, another group of 5 conferences announced that it would follow the lead of the SEC, as well Stadium Brett McMurphy reports that the Sun Belt will follow the lead of the SEC. McMurphy also reported that Conference USA will continue to try to play this season, even with Old Dominion member announcing that it will not have a season.
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