NCAA's Emmert: "It's Going to have to be Each Institution"

It's a crapshoot as to whether or not college football's coming season can find its way to the end.

Speculation surrounding college football, motives, moves, and whether a season can be had in its entirety has been discussed ad nauseam in recent weeks. It will continue to be until the season is concluded. 

The biggest question, will it make it to its scheduled conclusion, or be fired out by the pandemic? 

On Thursday, NCAA PresidentMark Emmert was quoted in an article by the Associated Press, speaking about the season and where he believes the situation is and where the responsibility lies for how things will ultimately play out. 

"It's going to have to be each institution," Emmert said. "You have to look at the huge variability around the country. When you look at what are the facts on the ground in Syracuse, New York, versus Miami, Florida, they're very, very different. And those schools are going to have to operate consistent with their local municipal policies, their state policies, federal policies, and then also whatever they decide collectively in the conference.

"So it isn't the time where you can say we're going to have one rule to govern all of football or all of any sport in that sense," Emmert told AP.  

While each state has different levels of cases of COVID-19 coronavirus, they also have various restrictions that apply to the individual institutions in their states, meaning that one state could pull the plug on their teams at any time. 

Discussions continue that some in sports media, who've written about the possibility of the season falling short of its conclusion, seem to be against playing this season. 

I can say with absolute clarity that I am not one who is against playing. I do, however, fear that the season will not make it to the finish line.   

It's an unprecedented and unknown time where people making such decisions are being asked to do so have never experienced anything like what we are living through today.

The world cant come to a complete halt, we tried that, and still, the virus is among us. 

While the health and safety of the players, coaches, and all who would participate is of the utmost importance, it is ultimately the decision of those who are involved in saying if the risk is worth the rewards. 

 As a proponent of people's right to choose what is best for them, let those who wish to participate play. Let those who feel the risk is too significant to sit out this season and return when they feel safe to return.    

It's a difficult situation with an easy answer, and this should be how everyone looks at it, in my very humble opinion.  

Follow Greg on Twitter @GregAriasSports and @SIVanderbilt or Facebook at Vanderbilt Commodores-Maven.