SI article on P5 dynamics at this moment re: Fall 2020 season
Link: https://www.si.com/college/2020/08/11/power-5-conferences-face-pivotal-decision-fall-season
Interesting read. Today could get some movement (or just more delaying actions). Are you not entertained?
August 11th, 2020 at 8:59 AM ^
Authors directly called out Scott Frost for being "outlandish" - bet his mom will get pretty steamed about that.
On a serious note, am I the only one surprised that Schlissel is not beingvmore publicly vocal about this issue? Considering his relatively unique situation of being a professionally trained immunologist and also a university president involved in perhaps the most controversial college sports issue in recent history - it seems apropos to have him take a leading advocacy role.
August 11th, 2020 at 9:19 AM ^
Schlissel has never impressed me as a man that wants to be in the spotlight, so I'm not surprised that he hasn't settled into such a role. I do think he would be an excellent leader of whatever faction he sided on - playing, or not - as he has demonstrated some pretty good ruddering instincts with Brandon, along with some of the early Anderson news and the other professor involved with students. (Later Anderson news is still out for consideration as to his handling of it.) He's well spoken, and doesn't use a lot words to convey significant news. He would be a much better leader/spokesman than some blowhard that likes to hear his own voice.
But I seriously doubt he will do anything overt to gain that role.
August 11th, 2020 at 10:34 AM ^
I suppose the investigation is still on-going, but he needs to deal with the allegation that 'Bo knew'. I suspect if the evidence is there about Bo, he'll do the right thing.
August 11th, 2020 at 11:37 AM ^
I think because he's a trained immunologist and, from all accounts, a thoughtful person I suspect he understands that allowing the experts take the leader here is the most prudent route and sharing his opinions, even if far more well-informed than most, isn't going to help the discussion further. As it is Scott Frost is running his mouth off about all the money people will lose and paying lip-service to player health, and guys like Franklin, Day, and Harbaugh are pushing for a season even though that doesn't seem particularly prudent. There are enough voices related to universities already speaking, and so I have a sense he's fine leading quietly and dealing with the fallout in private, not in the press.
August 11th, 2020 at 9:05 AM ^
So if the ACC and SEC roll ahead with playing games and the other 3 say no to the season, do the players (B1G, Big 12 and Pac 12) get to enter the transfer portal and be allowed to transfer to a team that will take them?
Or do the B1G, Big 12 and Pac 12 say to their players...
August 11th, 2020 at 9:43 AM ^
Think about it. If the ACC or SEC play and Michigan/Big 10 doesn't and you all think recruiting sucks now? Oh you wait.
If I was 17 and had an offer from Kentucky and Michigan, and wasn't sure one school was committed to actually playing the sport I'm signing up for, I know where I'd go.
August 11th, 2020 at 9:59 AM ^
lol, Michigan isn't going to never play football again, there's a freaking global pandemic going on.
August 11th, 2020 at 10:19 AM ^
Or maybe students and parents will decide they want to play for a school that cares as much about them as the money
August 11th, 2020 at 10:27 AM ^
If the student has NFL potential he is going to a school where he can play. Simple as that. The original question is...will the NCAA allow the transfer without having to sit out a year?
August 11th, 2020 at 10:45 AM ^
It's one season, and all the teams they'd transfer to are full of players already. Do you think players are going to transfer from a school like Michigan to Kentucky right now to play this fall? Do you think Kentucky would take them?
I get that it really really sucks for current seniors and juniors that could leave early, but I don't see some mass exodus when everyone will be playing again next year. (If they're *not* playing next year then we as a country don't deserve to have sports ever again...)
August 11th, 2020 at 12:30 PM ^
And it's not in the realm of possibility that Justin Fields could return to the SEC?
August 11th, 2020 at 1:07 PM ^
Sure it's possible he tries, but it's not going to affect B1G recruiting long term.
August 11th, 2020 at 1:45 PM ^
One year at a time. If this isn't sorted out this year and we are in the same spot this time next year...
August 11th, 2020 at 12:29 PM ^
Do you think any player is going to try and transfer between now and when this alleged season may start? And be part of whatever crap show will inevitably ensue once they start playing?
It's going to be a total mess.
As far as recruiting goes this should have zero effect. If anything it may help Michigan in the long run.
August 11th, 2020 at 12:31 PM ^
If they play and we don't it's a huge recruiting advantage.
August 11th, 2020 at 11:40 AM ^
Counter-point: A couple of athletes at UK wind up being in the hospital for a month because they got infected with COVID-19 and Mark Stoops is like "it was impossible to predict".
I swear people around here are just demanding sports be played so they can have something to watch in the fall. This isn't about "player safety" or "what the athletes want"; it's about being entertained. Sure, you don't want to see guys get sick and die from this disease, but I don't see anyone losing their shit about XC or women's golf not having a season.
August 11th, 2020 at 9:13 AM ^
What a mess... And to think that politics isn't part of it is to have your head buried in the sand. The division of conferences is straight up red and blue, with the Big 12 in the literal middle. It really couldn't be any more a made-for-TV drama! I don't know how it will play out. I can't see the B1G playing, and I don't think the PAC-12 will, either. I know the SEC will - that isn't even a question. Will they go it alone?
I think the situation is ripe for some group to pop up an ad-hoc organization and pull together schools that want to play in a last-minute frenzy. This would essentially replace the NCAA, on a temporary basis for this year. Of course, success would foster serious threats to the NCAA for following years. Maybe C-19 is the catalyst to replace the NCAA after all? I doubt it will happen, but the current situation seems fertile for such an effort, if led by the right people.
Also, if football is cancelled across the board, things would have to significantly improve before basketball camps start. Otherwise, there is no possible justification...
August 11th, 2020 at 9:21 AM ^
Things are a mess with no leadership from the NCAA. I wouldn't be surprised if a group of schools will want to proceed and play this season. That would include all SEC and ACC schools plus much of the Big 12 and then add some B1G schools like NE, IA, OSU, PSU.
We'll know soon enough.
August 11th, 2020 at 2:07 PM ^
No leadership from governing organizations seems to be a thing these days.
August 11th, 2020 at 9:51 AM ^
I'm not as certain that the SEC and ACC will actually go through with it (or even for more than a few games if they try). Much of what they are doing now is posturing - but when it comes time to actually play, would they be willing to do it if it they were alone? And what if they have a player or coach hospitalized? They have a good deal of local public support now, but puboic sentiment can change overnight at any time. Let's see where people stand in early Sept once students have been on campus for a while, doing what college students do.
August 11th, 2020 at 10:51 AM ^
Some speculation that Ohio State would play an independent schedule if the Big Ten cancels, and that OSU might find it likes being independent. Of course, this comes from sportswriters and football players/coaches, who likely have little appreciation for the fact that Ohio State is (theoretically) about more than football and that its academic brand benefits from being associated with the Big Ten, many of whose schools are far superior academically. I would guess the administrators in Columbus know this.
August 11th, 2020 at 11:22 AM ^
if the reports are true, OSU voted against the season. Trying to play independently would shock me. I think their leadership know the risks.
August 11th, 2020 at 9:17 AM ^
It’s incredible to me how unprepared almost everyone is for this at the decision making levels. I understand that it’s a unique situation but at this point it’s not like the virus has snuck up on them. How is it possible that they’ve had months to prepare for this and they’re still completely clueless, especially considering some of these people are supposed to be some of the brightest minds in the country.
August 11th, 2020 at 9:24 AM ^
Right? Completely unprepared for the thing that's been happening for six months now! They have no standard procedures for teams across conferences to ensure fair play (testing, tracing, etc). And there are no plans whatsoever for how to handle a cancelled season - despite that several sports' seasons have already been cancelled, so they knew that was a possibility! This is a blatant failure of 'leadership' from the NCAA.
August 11th, 2020 at 10:31 AM ^
"NCAA leadership" is an oxymoron.
August 11th, 2020 at 10:57 AM ^
P5 football needs a Commissioner. Simple as that. I know it’s a thankless job and everyone hates Commissioners at the professional levels but hierarchies work. Right now part of the problem is that there’s too many Chiefs and not enough Indians.
August 11th, 2020 at 11:33 AM ^
Doesn't matter - the university presidents have the final word and I don't see any reason for them to ever cede that kind of authority to a commissioner. This is not pro sports.
August 11th, 2020 at 11:34 AM ^
I feel like a lot of people have had their Plan A be "I hope this suddenly disappears in a few months and I don't have to do anything" because several organizations seemed to have spent their summers not preparing for the possibility of covid this fall
August 11th, 2020 at 2:13 PM ^
It's because nobody wants to be responsible for canceling a season and the lost revenue, programs going under and other not fun financial fallout. And they also don't want to be responsible for playing the season and someone dying from COVID. Leaders don't want to be held accountable for anything except successes.
August 11th, 2020 at 9:22 AM ^
It feels like the NCAA and some conferences are going to pull the plug, but maybe football teams will individually try to do things? Hard to say if thats viable or if university presidents and athletic directors would even go for that. While coaches and players want to play, they don’t call the shots at their university ultimately
I suspect some football will start but it’ll die quickly as soon as a few noteworthy teams see an outbreak. The president will obviously push for football to happen as it helps him personally
August 11th, 2020 at 9:32 AM ^
No, I'm not entertained.
August 11th, 2020 at 9:47 AM ^
I think one of these leagues that forge ahead should downsize their schedules to like only 3 or 5 games for this fall, games every 3 weeks and only divisional games. And then they can play the rest in Spring. I think it would be disastrous to play every week, like how MLB has had to deal with postponements. A Big Ten division games only would be 6 games total.
August 11th, 2020 at 11:19 AM ^
Fuck the Astros
August 11th, 2020 at 9:59 AM ^
With the SEC almost certainly going forward with the season, they would be smart to just set up an NBA-like bubble atmosphere for 4 months - it's not like they are pretending to play school anyways. Might as well keep the kids as safe as possible while they train for the NFL and have tutors take online courses for them. Those wanting to join the SEC bubble - Clemson, FSU, OSU, Oklahoma, etc should then be allowed to do so.
B1G schools like UM and Northwestern and Pac12 schools like Stanford and Berkley could never do this as they still attempt to run some version of a student-athlete model.
August 11th, 2020 at 10:16 AM ^
The SEC is going to roll ahead with games the same way that Georgia school district rolled ahead with in person classes with few safety measures. That school district now has 800 students and staff in quarantine.
August 11th, 2020 at 10:25 AM ^
Let them play! You can always cancel or postpone games mid season if it is not working out.
August 11th, 2020 at 10:42 AM ^
Interested to see how this all plays out over the next 18 months. There could be some significant conference realignment and I’m sure the SEC/ACC/Big 12, are at least at some level, seeing a tremendous opportunity here.
August 11th, 2020 at 10:45 AM ^
I haven't heard anything about liability in all of this discussion - I'm very curious what the university lawyers are telling these respective programs.
August 11th, 2020 at 10:53 AM ^
I am entertained! Will the Big Ten become the master over collective bargaining amateur athletes?
Will the players punt and their unity crumble? Will recruit targets jump to other conferences?
Will whole teams want out? Or will the players become the masters of their respective universities?
My guess is the later. Conferences crumble to concede to collective bargaining. Because its always about the money!
August 11th, 2020 at 11:49 AM ^
It will be tough on B1G players watching other conferences playing football this fall. I know NE will try to play in the Big 12 and OSU will want to play but their president will not let them.
August 11th, 2020 at 12:47 PM ^
SEC will not go forward either. Potential lawsuits and such will rule the day -- rather than common sense.