NCAA Approves Six-Week Practice Plan: Impact for Maryland
The NCAA finalized their plan on Thursday to extended preseason two weeks in an effort to keep college football on track for fall kickoff.
Under the proposed plan, Maryland is allowed to begin in-person workouts as early as July 13, at least 25 days before the first permissible preseason practice date, since Maryland kicks off the season against Towson on September 5. Beginning on July 24, schools will be allowed to begin walk-throughs and meetings totaling 20 hours per week. The 20 hours include up to eight hours per day permitted for weight training, conditioning and film review, one hour per day for walk-through which can include a football and one hour per day for meetings. During this period, two days off are also required.
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Preseason camp is allowed to begin as early as August 7, according to the plan, as teams hit the ground running 29 days before their first game. Back in March, head coach Mike Locksley hinted at how Maryland could take advantage of the time apart in order to hit the ground running once the team reunites.
“I think this is where you’ll see the biggest strides in the game for our programs, what these guys do when nobody is around and nobody is watching them,” Locksley told NBC Sports in March. “We always talk about being the best version of yourself and this gives our players the opportunity to do that without coaches there.”
According to a story by Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated, the Oversight Committee decided against extending unlimited camp hours beyond the date a school begins classes. The plan allows for coaches to have unlimited time until the first day of classes or seven days prior to the school's first contest.
Meanwhile, student-athletes returned to campus on June 8 as voluntary, individual workouts are scheduled to begin on Monday, June 15.
Tentative Maryland Schedule
July 13-23: begin in-person workouts
July 24–August 6: allowed to use football in drills
August 7– September 2: Preseason
September 5: Towson at Maryland
