Is the Big Ten Ready to Play Football?

Penn State's James Franklin is ready and says Big Ten teams that aren't should be allowed to opt out.

Penn State's James Franklin is ready to play football, as are Ohio State's Ryan Day, Ohio's attorney general and the entire state of Nebraska. Even the Big Ten might be ready. 

But can the conference schooy forge a substitute 2020 Big Ten season, even if some schools choose not to play? Franklin said yes. Emphatically.

On the recent edition of Penn State's football podcast "Unrivaled," Franklin said that the conference should consider launching a restarted football season with whoever is willing to play. Franklin added that he believes the Big Ten has addressed the medical requirements necessary to play safely.

"There’s about 13 or 14 medical procedures and policies that [the Big Ten] had to have in place that was universal throughout the conference, and they’ve really been answered now," Franklin said on the podcast, which was recorded Sept. 5. "So now it’s getting everybody in the room and making the decision and saying, 'Let’s go.'"

Source: The Big Ten Return to Competition Task force is preparing a presentation to outline a safe way to return to play in the upcoming days. There are many variables and sub-committees involved. 1/2

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 11, 2020

Anticipation for a Big Ten restart increased this weekend, as conference presidents lurched toward a reported re-vote of their Aug. 11 decision to postpone fall sports. ESPN reported that the medical subcommittee of the Big Ten's Return to Competition task force had prepared options for the presidents to consider regarding testing. Penn State Athletic Director Sandy Barbour is a committee co-chair.

Nebraska President Ted Carter said in an interview with KLIN Radio that the "fight is still on" to play and that the presidents "will vote on [the Return to Competition's plan] very soon."

Meanwhile, Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway told NJ Advance Media that he doesn't plan to change his vote regarding the Big Ten's decision.

If that's the case, so be it, Franklin said.

"If there's one or two teams that don't feel like they can pull off all the procedures and policies in place, let them opt out," Franklin said on the Penn State podcast. "But that shouldn't stop the other 12 schools that can make it work from playing. It's too important."

Franklin and Day were among the coaches re-convening the pressure campaign on the Big Ten, which reportedly has been considering an October start for football. The Athletic reported that "restarting competition at the end of October is not out of the question," while Day issued a statement asking, "Our players want to know: why can't they play?"

pic.twitter.com/H3aA2dAmuN

— Ryan Day (@ryandaytime) September 10, 2020

Franklin, meanwhile, asked again whether athletes are safer without sports than they are with them. Penn State last week paused practices for some teams after reporting 48 new positive cases of COVID-19 among athletes.

The athletic department said that it had no evidence the virus was transmitted through athletic activities. The Penn State football team was not among the teams whose practices were suspended.

"It's about doing everything we possibly can to put these players back on the field so they can continue to chase their dreams as long as we're doing it in a safe way," Franklin said. "And the people that say, 'You're not safe, you shouldn't be pushing this,' well, the reality is, with all the testing and the things that we're doing, who is safer than us?

"Is it the average person walking around society? Are they being tested the way we are? ... I'd love for someone to show me an example of how our guys would be safer not playing football than playing."

If the Big Ten pursues an October return, rapid testing will be a key element. The Pac-12 announced a testing partnership with Quidel that it said could speed the return of sports. And Nebraska has formed its own testing agreement as well.

Penn State Athletic Director Sandy Barbour said that the Big Ten has been pursuing a similar testing plan, one she called a "game-changer."

"The rate of innovation on a daily basis relative to testing has been enormous," Barbour said recently on the Penn State Coaches Show. "... Things keep changing. The good news is, there are now some things that are changing for the better for us."

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