College Football Practice on the Horizon
Players, coaches and programs across the country have come to terms with the fact that the 2020 season is going to be uncomfortable. But it appears that a glimmer of hope is coming into focus.
According to Sports Illustrated's Ross Dellenger, the NCAA DI Football Oversight Committee is expected to make a ruling this week that would allow teams across the nation to resume official team practices in July. This aligns with coaches around the sport who have been asking for six weeks of team practice before the season begins.
Dellenger says the plan proposed by the NCAA is in its final stages, and the proposal is expected to pass in a vote on Thursday. “We’re 90% there,” said Shane Lyons, the West Virginia athletic director and chair of the Oversight Committee, in an interview Monday with Sports Illustrated.
The Buckeyes spring practices were cut drastically short because of the CoVID-19 pandemic outbreak. They only practiced three times - March 2, 4 and 6 - before the university ceased all team activities and college athletics came to a screeching halt. So the coming weeks will be crucial for players and coaches to get up to speed.
As it pertains to this proposed plan, from June 1 until 25 calendar days before the school's first permissible preseason practice date, student-athletes may only participate in voluntary workouts or nonphysical activities. Many of the Buckeyes reported to campus Monday to begin those voluntary workouts in small groups.
Meanwhile, required summer athletics activities may begin 25 days prior to the first preseason practice. During that period, student-athletes may spend six hours per week with strength coaches and no more than two hours per week with coaches for film study.
Teams can start required walk-thrus and meetings 14 days prior to the first preseason practice date. Players cannot surpass 20 countable hours per week in this two week period, with two mandated off-days. They can split their time between the weight room, meetings, walk-thrus (with a football) and film review, but they must follow several stipulations.
As the schedule currently stands, Ohio State is set to open the season on Saturday, September 5 against Bowling Green. That means they can open preseason camp officially on Friday August 7.
The reality is that very little is certain at this point. If an outbreak suddenly occurs, all of the timetables could be altered - and this plan only addresses the preseason schedule. It's entirely possible there could be an outbreak once the season begins.
But perhaps by Thursday, there will be an official road map for teams to prepare for an on-time start to a season nobody will forget.
