While You Were Sleeping, College Football Players Were Unionizing

Sunday was an eventful one as the most prominent voices in college football took to Twitter to make their voices heard.

Sunday evening some of the most prominent names in college football took to Twitter to tell the NCAA and the world #WeWantToPlay. 

This continued into the night until the midnight reveal of the player's demands posted first by Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who was most vocal Sunday. 

#WeWantToPlay pic.twitter.com/jvQhE7noGB

— Trevor Lawrence (@Trevorlawrencee) August 10, 2020

Then by the National College Players Association. 

#WeAreUnited #WeWantToPlay

This is Big!!! pic.twitter.com/5YwIZm6gSJ

— NCPA (@NCPANOW) August 10, 2020

The movement comes after Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde and Ross Dellenger reported that Power 5 conferences are moving towards cancelling the season. 

"It’s gotten to a critical stage,” one conference commissioner told Sports Illustrated Sunday, after a conference call between the heads of the Power 5 conferences. “I think all of us will be meeting with our boards in the coming days. We have work to do that is no fun.”

Among the players voicing their desire to play was Lawrence, Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields and South Carolina quarterback Ryan Hilinski. 

#WeWantToPlay

— Ryan Hilinski (@ryan_hilinski) August 9, 2020

There’s been too much work put in!! #WeWantToPlay

— Justin Fields (@justnfields) August 10, 2020

#WeWantToPlay

— Sam Howell (@Sam7Howell) August 9, 2020

The Arkansas State University football team is the latest to join the #WeWantToPlay movement. Issuing a statement as a team as a whole. This week is going to be very interesting. pic.twitter.com/oAacI2JxHf

— Sidelines - Arkansas (@SSN_Arkansas) August 10, 2020

The late evening meeting came after the Mid-American Conference made the decision Saturday to postpone its fall sports and the Big 10 announced a halt in plans to begin football practices. 

While the schedules have been released, another hurdle in putting the season together has arisen - the lasting affects of COVID-19 on those who do test positive. 

Dellenger reported on how cardiac inflammation is giving the NCAA pause about fall sports returning. 

"In a small percentage of infected patients, COVID-19 leaves behind troubling scars in the throbbing muscle within their chests, known as myocarditis," Dellenger reported. "The virus directly invades the heart muscle, weakening and damaging its cells, through blood clots and inflammatory responses to viral infection."

While it was originally reported that primarily elderly and those with compromised immune systems were at risk, new studies show that the young and healthy can be affected as well. 

NCAA officials are expected to make decisions this week as the details continue to this latest chapter continue to unfold.