NCAA Committee Approve Six-Week Preseason Practice Plan
On Thursday, the NCAA Football Oversight Committee approved a six-week plan to begin preparations for an on-time start to the college football season, according to multiple reports, including 247 Sports.
The plan must receive final approval next week from the NCAA Division I Council. Wednesday's vote seems a formality as the committee is expected to approve the proposal allowing for teams to return to organized team activities in mid-July.
According to the report released by 247 Sports, who obtained a reported copy of the proposal's schedule, the calendar looks like this.
NCAA proposed preseason calendar
- Voluntary workouts: June 1-25 (virtual instruction 8 hours per week)
- Mandatory workouts: July 13, 25 days before first permissible preseason practice date
- Walk-throughs and meetings: July 24, 14 days before first preseason practice date (8 hours weight training, 6 hours walk-through with football, 6 hours for meetings)
- Preseason practices: Aug. 7, 29 days before first game (20 hours per week)
The proposal outlines the six-week plan beginning with an NFL style OTA (organized team activities), including a period of mandatory workouts include walk-throughs starting in July. While the report did not explicitly indicate how these walk-thoughts would be handled, if they follow NFL rules for OTAs, they would be conducted in helmets only along with shirts and shorts as part of an acclimation process.
Coaches participating in preseason camp would then begin in early August.
Also, according to the 247 reports:
"Teams with seasons starting Labor Day Weekend can begin working with their players in person as early as July 13, at least 25 days before the first permissible preseason practice date. Teams participating in Week 0 games will be able to move the proposed dates up one week in the calendar due to games set for late August. Those schools can begin mandatory workouts as early as July 6."
This is the first of several remaining steps before a season can begin. Even then, here are potential stumbling blocks for the NCAA and teams across the country as different states continue in various degrees of lockdown as the coronavirus continues to spike in areas around the country as businesses and people begin to move about in returning to more normal life following the national quarantine.
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