Dan Patrick Is Not Optimistic Big Ten Plays Football This Fall

Last week, Dan Patrick reported on his show that the Big Ten was targeting Oct. 10 as a potential return date for fall football, and he clarified that this timeline hinged on a potential re-vote coming from the Big Ten presidents. As it turned out, that re-vote did not come to fruition, but Patrick is still hearing more and more about how the situation is unfolding behind the scenes.

"The Big Ten is still up in the air," Patrick said on Tuesday. "There is still a pushback from the medical community in the Big Ten to not play, and I was told they simply don't have enough teams to play. I was told the Michigan teams [are] not gonna play. Illinois teams, that's Illinois and Northwestern, are not going to play. Maryland is not going to play, and Rutgers probably won't play. That doesn't leave you with much if you're able to pull this off. And now I'm told the medical community with the Big Ten is trying to push to November now. It was October 10th. That was the target date so they could get in a 10-game schedule and qualify for the postseason. I don't think that's going to happen."

Big Ten Football Update: "They simply don't have enough teams to play. I was told The Michigan teams not going to play, Illinois teams Illinois/Northwestern not going to play, Maryland's not going to play and Rutgers probably won't play." pic.twitter.com/DP0QKIUYT8
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) September 8, 2020

Out of the 14 teams in the conference, Patrick is being told that six of those schools are still not on board with conducting a fall football season-- including Michigan. Now, based on those numbers the Big Ten could have enough teams on the side of playing football this fall with an 8-6 margin, but that causes a whole new problem of how to handle scheduling. Previously, the Big Ten released a 10-game, conference-only schedule, but that would certainly need to be revised if only eight school go forward with the football season.

"So, you're not going to have Michigan or Michigan State," Patrick said. "You're not going to have enough to put together, you're going to have eight teams. Is that enough? And I'm told that even if they go into the spring that a lot of these players are not going to want to play. There are a lot of players who don't want to practice now because there is the uncertainty of do we even have games this year. They are trying to understand why are we practicing for games that aren't going to happen, and I think there is starting to be a little pushback from some players at certain universities in the Big Ten."

Recently, Wolverine Digest learned that several upperclassmen players at Big Ten schools are not in favor of playing during the spring because the season would be too close to a looming 2021 NFL Draft. On top of that, underclassmen players are even less bullish on a potential spring slate because of the impact that playing two seasons in one calendar year would have on their bodies.

"I was told that January is a legitimate landing date for the Big Ten," Patrick said. "That can still happen, that is just not anywhere near the consensus. And I don't think you can get enough teams that are gong to be able to pull this together to play fall football."

If the Big Ten is not able to pull off a football season this fall, the next best option in the minds of many would be to play during the spring. The PAC 12 recently announced that it had developed a new testing method that would allow for a season to unfold safely, but even with that news the conference is still not aiming to play football until 2021.

"I was a little more optimistic a week ago," Patrick said. "I was told, my source said after speaking to a Big Ten coach, they are really disappointed that the Big Ten commissioner, Kevin Warren, has gone silent because he should be saying something here. They don't know does he want to play? Can we play?"

In a time of such confusion, many within the Big Ten footprint are looking at the leadership up top and are wondering why there isn't more, well, leadership. Ever since moving to postpone the season last month, Warren has dodged public appearances. Patrick mentioned that he had invited onto his show multiple times, but the Big Ten commissioner is yet to take Patrick up on that offer.

Right now, it looks like the Big Ten is in the midst of a numbers battle with schools divided on whether or not to play football this fall. And in a time like this, these 14 schools need leadership more than ever, which is why Warren's absence during this tumultuous time is even more concerning in his first year on the job.

When do you think Michigan will take the field next? Would you be in favor of the Big Ten implementing a shortened season this fall? Let us know!

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