Oklahoma State Follows OU by Announcing the Plan to Hold Classes on Campus for Fall Semester
STILLWATER -- Earlier in the day the University of Oklahoma came out and announced the intention of holding campuses on campus in the fall. Then later in the day after KFOR-TV made the inquiry Oklahoma State University came out with a statement that their administration and Board of Regents, who actually met virtually on Friday, had the same intentions, but are also continuing to evaluate the situation.
“While we are planning to resume classes this fall on campus. We are still analyzing the situation and evaluating our plans,” read the statement from Oklahoma State University.
OSU officials have been very careful to act cautiously throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of the criteria for intercollegiate sports to resume, even preparations for contests with practice and workouts has been the return of student to campus for academic pursuits. Football and soccer would be the first sports up for the fall semester on the Oklahoma State campus. Football has a report date of July 31 and soccer has a report date of August 3.
In an interview with Triple Play Sports Radio today on the Sports Talk with Robert Allen and Friends program, Oklahoma State University Athletics Team Physician Dr. Val Gene Iven complimented the way the University and the athletic department has reacted. He singled out head football coach Mike Gundy, who has come under criticism for some comments made, as being proactive in the beginning and doing an excellent job of getting his athletes to vacate campus and go home. The safer place for them to be according to Dr. Iven.
Dr. Iven would not commit, but did say there have been positive indicators that lead him to believe that their could be football this fall.
Also, Pokes Report has learned that the head football coaches in the Big 12 had a meeting conducted remotely on Friday. The Big 12 has been staging meetings like this with coaches of various sports, athletic directors and administration as well as school presidents.
Our sources informed us that the football coaches were very positive about playing their season, in some form, during the fall. In fact, all Big 12 head football coaches favored that with one exception.
On Saturday morning Oklahoma State head football coach Mike Gundy seemed to have a reaction to the recent developments, most likely the move to bring students back on campus in the fall.
Oklahoma State vice president for athletics and athletics director Mike Holder has said the athletic department will have a very hard time making ends meet with football. He has stated that football needs to be played. Mike Gundy is on board and most players we've spoken with really want to get back to work and plan on playing the season.
Obviously, the situation and how Oklahoma and the nation are handling the coronavirus will dictate the decisions. That is why the statement of intentions and the pause of saying they are still evaluating.
