Opinion: Spring College Football Is a Bad Idea, a Slap in the Face and Isn't Happening
The proverbial dominoes are falling on the 2020 college football season.
On Tuesday, the Big 10 and Pac 12 decided to delay the start of the season to the spring of 2021. Last week, the Mid-American Conference voted to cancel its season, and without the big paydays from playing power five schools, the other group of five conferences will likely join them.
The SEC has chosen fall football to be the hill it dies on in 2020. The ACC is leaning towards the SEC on the matter but may pivot depending on what the Big 12 chooses. All indications are that the Big 12 is moving forward with it's attempts at a fall season.
Regardless of what consensus the power five conferences reach on football this fall, eventually, the "spring football" bubble will burst. College football in the spring is a terrible idea.
Dawgs Daily's own Brooks Austin dissected all of the issues nicely on Saturday, but here's a recap: Top NFL prospects are going to opt-out and join the NFL Draft instead; teams might play as much as 30 games or as little as 24 games in less than a calendar year; Injuries will have huge effects on two seasons, and the weather will be more than harsh for the northernmost teams.
Spring football isn't just problematic, it's disrespectful. The idea is a slap in the face to the players and coaching staff who work hard on the field, in the film room, recruiting trail and coaching offices.
Coaches work hard to recruit outstanding talent and develop them to an elite level. The players grind for their universities and their prolonged and future football careers. This doesn't matter to the powers that be in the Big 10 and Pac 12.
So what if a coach builds a multi-year relationship with a kid to bring him to a program at the upper echelon of college football? That player has to make the best decision for him and that decision could be to leave school early and join the NFL Draft.
So, what if you're a player who worked hard and stayed patient behind a veteran, preparing for your time in the spotlight? You tear your ACL or suffer any other major injury this season, you can kiss a chunk of next season goodbye as well. There goes your draft stock.
There are no positives to spring college football. There might not be any positives to fall football either, but the sports' traditional spot on the calendar presents far fewer negatives. There is no reason to play football in the spring, therefore, it will not happen.
