Is The Big Ten Eyeing A Mid-October Return?

It seems like everyone wants Big Ten football to return, but when can that happen?

In the immediate wake of the Big Ten season being cancelled, Jim Harbaugh released a statement.

Our student-athletes and coaches want to compete. They have committed, trained and prepared their entire lives for this opportunity, and I know how much they’re disappointed at this time. I share in their disappointment today.

We have shown over the weeks since returning to campus that we could meet the challenge and provide our student-athletes the opportunity of a fall football season.

Our football team, our coaching staff, our support staff in Schembechler Hall have all stepped up, followed every rule, and done everything in their power magnificently to give all the opportunity to compete. I am extremely proud, thankful and appreciative of our team and how they have conducted and represented our program and university.

Earlier today, Penn State head coach James Franklin spoke on the matter and sounded a lot like Harbaugh.

It’s been challenging, as you guys know. I think the big challenge as the head football coach is that your players and your parents think that you have all the answers to what’s going on, but the reality is, we’re dependent on the Big Ten to drive this thing forward. It’s been challenging. It truly has.

In terms of where we’re at, I’m not really sure. I think that’s part of the problem. To me, I’ve said this from the beginning, I don’t necessarily have an issue with the decision. I got an issue with the process, and I got an issue with the timing. To be able to stand up in front of your team and parents and tell them that the season is canceled/postponed, but not have any answers as to how that affects their future and when we will be playing football and still haven’t a month later. That’s the hard part. It’s been really, really challenging.

I think a big part of leadership is to be able to deliver answers to people’s questions and also to be able to drive people towards a vision and drive people towards a plan. Right now, we don’t have those things.

And most recently, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day asked the same question that we've all been asking for the last few weeks.

While I understand the Big Ten Conference's decision to postpone the football season because of health and safety considerations, the communication of information from the Big Ten following the decision has been disappointing and often unclear.

However, we still have an opportunity to give our young men what they have worked so hard for: a chance to safely compete for a national championship this fall. I couldn't possibly be prouder of how this team, our medical personnel, athletic director and president have stayed together and managed through this extremely difficult time with so many unanswered questions. The Big Ten medical subcommittee has done an excellent job of creating a safe pathway toward returning to play in mid-October.

These young men and their parents have asked so many questions that I do not have an answer to, but the one that hurts the most is, 'Why can these other teams and players play and we can't?'" Day said. "Duke is playing Notre Dame, and Clemson is playing Wake Forest this weekend. Our players want to know: Why can't they play?

Harbaugh, Franklin and Day all sounded pretty much the same and seem to be unified as arguably the three biggest brands in the Big Ten. Day's mention of a mid-October start, however, struck me. That's a very specific timeframe and he's the first coach to mention when everyone could and should start publicly. Is the Big Ten officially considering that and he's trying to force their hand?

Day, Harbaugh and Franklin have power and they know it. They're using their platforms and their level of visibility to push the agenda and I'm here for it. 

Day has received a little backlash for his words because some see it as him only looking out for his own interests but really, it's crazy that Ohio State isn't playing football right now. The NFL has two teams in Ohio that will be playing in a few days and high school football is being played in The Buckeye State. Somehow, though, Day and his entire program are just supposed to accept that the Buckeyes can't play?

It's no different with Harbaugh and Franklin. NFL teams are gearing up for their seasons as are high school programs in both Michigan and Pennsylvania. It just doesn't add up.

The three biggest coaches in the conference want to play and are saying it loudly and proudly. Will it turn into actual football? We shall see.