A day different from the history of college football began at 12:01 PM ET. Monday when the game’s biggest star, Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence, was among the dozens of players to tweet a statement expressing their desire to play the 2020 season and share items they feel should be addressed in order to ensuring a safe and honest environment for student-athletes who are advancing. Lawrence was joined by dozens of players, including QB Justin Fields, Ohio State, Oene OT Penei Sewell and Oklahoma State RB Chuba Hubbard.
It set the stage for a day that included a presidential tweet, Big Ten coaches like Ryan Day and Jim Harbaugh struggled to save their seasons, and Scott Frost even pushed the idea of playing a year outside the Big Ten as the conference his autumn. When the day began, it felt like a foregone conclusion that at least the Big Ten and Pac-12 would soon postpone football until spring. When the day was over, there was the realization that the conferences could delay their season just a few weeks before making a final decision.
Here’s a conference-by-conference look at where things stand on a Tuesday that promises to be just as chaotic:
Big ten
On Monday, the Big Ten began with premature reports that the league’s presidents had already decided to postpone fall sports, including football. Around noon, a spokesman for the league confirmed to ESPN and others that there had been no votes over the fall season. Still, all signs pointed to the Big Ten pulling Tuesday’s plug, especially when the Pac-12 was also on board.
Then the most prominent coaches of the league began to speak out. Loudly. And apparently against many of the presidents of the league. Jim Harbaugh of Michigan went first, and wrote why the plan to play football works and can continue on a positive track. Ryan State of Ohio State and James Franklin of Penn State posted Twitter messages to support their players and the #WeWantToPlay push. The boldest words came from Scott Frost of Nebraska, who said the school was fully committed to playing one season and would even try to compete outside of the Big Ten, if necessary.
How will the coaches’ messages affect Big Ten presidents, who meet again Tuesday morning and are likely to vote on the fall season? The presidents were able to stick to their first plan to suspend all bankruptcy sports until 2021, an option that clearly would not sit well with coaches, players and fans. Or they could push back to the beginning of the football season a few weeks and see how practices and refilling campuses affect the landscape. Several league sources and longtime Big Ten observers think first-year commissioner Kevin Warren and the presidents should “read the room” and resist the impulse to put it off immediately. But sources also say Warren is extremely concerned about the long-term effects of COVID-19, especially heartbeat.
Monday’s messages were terrifying for the Big Ten, which prides itself on unity and preventing public shrinkage. This is a league where Ohio State and Michigan agree to share revenue equally with Indiana, Northwestern and Purdue. Warren is facing a critical moment in his young term, as he needs to build consensus with all of the league’s key groups, not just the presidents. The Big Ten may still end up with the point of the fall season, but not away. – Adam Rittenberg
Pac-12
The Pac-12 CEO group, which consists of a president and chancellor of each of the 12 universities, will hold a meeting on Tuesday in which it is expected to vote on how to deal with football and the rest of the autumn sports. This group serves as the ultimate decision maker of the conference and will rely on input from the conference’s medical advisory group, among other sources, to shape its path forward.
On Monday, the Pac-12’s Student-Athlete Health and Well-Being Board submitted a document to Commissioner Larry Scott outlining recommendations for how to proceed. Board member Dr. David Petron, a team doctor in Utah, said in a radio interview on ESPN 700 in Salt Lake City the recommendations would be to “stop contact and competitive activities at this time.” However, he added the possibility that the conference could continue with a scheme for fall sports if it is able to meet certain medical needs, including a more frequent test program and reassessments.
Pac-12 chief football teams and athletic directors were briefed on the state of the conference prior to the meeting of CEOs Monday night. While the growing sentiment surrounding the league on Monday was that the league will finally decide to postpone the fall season with an eye to playing in the spring, it is possible that the group voted Tuesday on a more short-term plan to allow some extra time buy before making a final decision on the fall season. – Kyle Bonagura
SEC
The SEC is digging its heels in, at least for now, and that’s despite the Big Ten, Pac-12 being another decision on the 2020 college football season.
For months, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey has said the league will use all the time to make any decisions about the fall and gather as much information as possible from medical officials. Sankey sounded a similar theme on Monday amid all the reports from various conferences closing this fall.
Sankey tweeted: “Best advice I have received since COVID-19: ‘Be patient. Take your time when making decisions. This is all new and you will get better information every day.’ @SEC has been conscious of every step since March … … delayed first game to respect the start of the fall semester. “
Alabama coach Nick Saban told ESPN on Monday that returning other students to campus would pose a challenge.
“I get that, but we really do not know what that entails until it happens,” Saban said. “It’s a big reason we shot back this season [in the SEC], to assess that, what is the prudent way to do it. “
The SEC pushed back the start of its season to Sept. 26. Several SEC athletic directors told ESPN that the league is committed to staying on course and hopefully at least one other Power 5 conference will do the same. Finally, the biggest challenge to play this fall will be presidents and chancellors firmly faced in the face of accountability.
Tennessee Chancellor Donde Plowman met with the Vols team on Monday and tweeted that she received a “resounding YES” when she asked the players if they would like to play this season.
“This group of student-athletes has worked hard to prepare for the season amid details and strict health and safety protocols. I can’t wait to see them on the field at Neyland Stadium,” Plowman tweeted. – Chris Low
ACC
To be sure, everyone is watching what happens with the Big Ten, but the conversation from the ACC suggests that any move after the cancellation will come independently of other leagues.
Directors of athletic ACC meet Monday morning and did not change their current plan for the fall season. Practices continued throughout the league, including at Syracuse, which had skipped two days of workouts last week amid concerns over player safety, and at Clemson, where Lawrence and Darien Rencher helped spearhead a push from players across the country to ask to be played this season.
“I’m glad our conference is fighting for us,” Lawrence said. “If we see progress, we will continue to play. If it gets bad, we will of course correct, but at the moment it has been good and they are thankful to the players to fight for us.”
However, it will not be the ADs that have the definitive word. The league’s presidents and chancellors are expected to meet on Wednesday to discuss options, and they could be affected by what happens to the Big Ten and Pac-12. One ACC coach said things change from hour to hour.
However, coaches are moving forward as if the league is sticking to their current plan, which would have the season open on Sept. 10. Louis Soul Scott Satterfield said at a Monday Zoom conference that the ACC would make its own decisions and other leagues for “do this yo-yo.”
“We plan to follow that plan until we are told otherwise,” said another coach. “The next hurdle is when all the other students come back.” – David M. Hale
Size 12
No decisions have been made by the Big 12 up to this point, but league officials will meet on Tuesday, beginning with the athletic directors, followed by the conference board.
The league could provide the turning point in deciding how much college football will happen this fall, and at this point it is difficult to decide which way the Big 12 will go. If the Big Ten and Pac-12 shut it down, will the Big 12 then follow suit, or will it then stick with the SEC and perhaps the ACC when trying to move forward?
The league seems to be on the fence at the moment, but given the planned announcements in recent weeks, do not expect the Big 12 to rush to a decision; it could be the last under the Power 5 to make a move. – Sam Khan Jr.
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