Whether the 2020 college football season is delayed or outright cancelled is a question for a later time. That’s not the case for preparation for the 2020 college football season, though.
What about spring football practice? Michigan and Ohio State canceled their spring games. No biggie. Spring games are largely glorified scrimmages that essentially provide programming for conference networks. However, as conferences and schools cancel campus activities, these questions have been raised.
If and when a decision is made on the resumption of activities this year, will there be enough time to carve out a proper preparation for the football season? Spring practice allows for 15 practices spread out over a month or so. Players would be on campus anyway for summer school. For now, anytime up to July 1 seems to be is an option.
During this period, strength coaches basically are in charge of football programs. It’s their duty to groom players not only physically but mentally. It’s not clear if all teams are meeting or even conditioning. How does that factor into the timely resumption of play? Will coaches be allowed to be involved with instruction at this time if there is no spring football practice, limiting their preparation for the season?
Take it one step further. Here’s a quote about Jamie Newman that got me to thinking this morning.
“Yeah, I’ve talked to him and asked about him,” Shockley said this past week. “He’s already taken on kind of a leadership role because he’s played a bunch of ball. People I’ve talked to say just from the way he carries himself you can tell he’s used to being one of the alpha dogs on the team. He’s come in with an edge, is working hard and is trying to get to know everybody. I haven’t seen him work out, but he definitely has the leadership qualities they’re looking for.”
Ordinarily, that’s the kind of thing we’d hear that would give us some confidence that the players, particularly a new quarterback who needs every minute of workout with his receiving corps to develop timing and a rapport, would step up over the summer and take the initiative. What happens if they can’t?
Get The Picture 
Will the quality of play suffer? Probably. Will that mean those teams with better athletes will rise to the top? Probably.
This whole line of thinking would be different if not all parts of the country were affected similarly. Every program right now is dealing with exactly the same challenge.
I think this makes it more important to have quality talent and quality depth. Therefore, the same schools (Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma, Georgia, Ohio State, LSU, etc.) will be the teams fighting it out in the fall.
The real question to deal with is about what kind of shape will these guys be in when they return. In other words, how much effort will the S&C guys have to put in to get players ready for whatever spring practice happens or ready for fall camp?
LikeLike
The coaches ability to adjust to the players conditioning & the players ability to learn the new offense will be important. Kirby better be very flexible & creative in his approach.
LikeLike
I am interested in what Kirby, Sinclair and Cochran (yes, I believe he is going to have some influence on S&C) have instructed the players to do since I am assuming none of them can come to the facility during this time. The guys who were in the dorms have to leave campus if they don’t have a hardship.
LikeLike
Dumb down the offense, KISS can probably be surprisingly effective. Hoping our defense can smother the opposition to 9 or 10 wins this year if necessary.
But on the subject, of defense. I was watching a replay of the SEC Champ game last night – think it was SEC Network that had it on because there was no basketball to televise – but CBS had a graphic that showed how many 2nd and 3rd string QBs we faced last year. I just hope our defense was in fact as good as we thought it was last year.
LikeLike
Maybe the best prescription for a virus-handicapped season is a healthy dose of man ball. [ducks]
LikeLike
Manball is fine if you have the threat of an effective passing attack so the other team’s D can just load the box and play run all the time. Actually, smashmouth football is really effective as long as you’re not trying to block 8 guys with 5 or 6.
LikeLike
*can’t
LikeLike
This will all work itself out. As much as we all love to trash the NCAA, at least we have a regulatory body capable of leveling the playing field with universal bands on recruiting, etc. Every is team is facing the same degree of adversity. The most successful teams will likely be those whose coaches adapted best to this situation. My money is that Kirby’s on the mother.
LikeLike
Move 7-on-7 to an undisclosed location and treat it like summer workouts.
You didn’t hear that here.
LikeLike
Spring practice just might be in june
LikeLike
No way the NCAA takes on that risk with all schools not having indoor practice facilities. No way university lawyers allow that to happen.
LikeLike
What does indoor have to do with it? This virus thing will be settled in 4 to 8 weeks. The worlds not stopping forever. In just 2 weeks things will be relooked
LikeLike
Are you serious? If spring practice is in June (as you said) and one young man dies and others are hospitalized by heat-related illnesses, the lawyers will justifiably be all over the NCAA and the schools for allowing it to happen. You do realize the NCAA has cancelled every spring championship including the College World Series which doesn’t even happen until June. I would venture to guess that 95%+ of schools below the Power 5 don’t have climate-controlled indoor facilities to be able to practice in June.
LikeLike
You realize its hotter in August right?
You also cant have a CWS when you had no games.
You think we are living in semi lockdown until when exactly? This virus is likely already spread well well beyond what we know. It will be settled in a month.
I guess you’re saying we shouldn’t have fall camp either because it’s hot and virus.
Man, I dont get your . Anything. June is 10 weeks away. It would be good to ar least have a mini camp to get players working together, otherwise fall camp is going to be really rough and a lot of injuries are coming in camp and game day.
Oh, its colder in August. And everything is cancelled till the end of time. Ugh.
And your numbers on IPFs are very wrong. Like upside down even.
Annoying. Out. Done.
LikeLike
I continue to be impressed with the sheer depth of expertise available on the intertubes — and for free!
Shit, man, we can’t even keep people out of bars. The idea this will be settled in a month seems like wishful thinking.
LikeLike
Good thing we have your snarky smart ass to keep people in check. But glad to know you think we are in some semi lock down indefinitely.
Things will be much different in a month. And they’ll be highly different in 2.
You could have an exchange of opinions, or you could just be a dick, I see you chose the latter. I’ve actually worked in healthcare, and taught infection control for years.
In June you can tell me you told me so. Since your internet wisdom is the correct one.
Thinking thr country doesnt function and work even into June is delusional
LikeLike
You’ve taught infection control for years. So all these calls for people to stay out of mass settings, like bars, restaurants, etc. that are being routinely ignored, that’s no biggie to you?
Look, I’ve got no idea where we’ll be in a month and a half, but the people who are experts in the field sure aren’t acting like it’ll be mission accomplished by June.
Hope you’re the one who has it right.
LikeLike
I see your leave of absence from Dawgsports has taught you anything.
LikeLike
*hasn’t
LikeLike
I get your thoughts, but I don’t think the NCAA, the universities, or their lawyers would agree with you. They already have problems with heat-related illnesses and deaths in “voluntary” workouts (remember Maryland and DJ Durbin).
You really think all of these FCS, D2 and D3 schools have indoor practice facilities?
If the virus is still not under control in August, I don’t believe the NCAA will allow practice to start. If it isn’t, we have a bigger problem on our hands than whether college football gets played.
I personally agree with you about this thing running its course over next month or so (or at least I pray that’s what will happen). My opinions are only based on the actions the NCAA has taken over the last 96 hours or so.
LikeLike
Ok. This is fair. But I dont get the heat thing. And actually most P5 schools have IPFs. Remember when we were one of the last to get one? If this thing is still a thing, you’re right, no jube, and if it’s still a thing in August, you’re right, we got bigger issues
My concern with only fall camp is safety. I’d like even a week in June let’s say just for meetings and basic workouts. Drills, walk throughs, Skeles. If they have to ram August September football will be pretty bad, just organizationally and fitness to start.
LikeLike
The heat thing isn’t about the Power 5. They generally all have climate-controlled facilities.
It’s all about the next level down including generally the Group of 5.
I’m for player safety first and foremost. I would bet the schools will get extra conditioning days at the beginning of fall camp of spring practice gets eliminated for 2020.
The bigger wild card is when most schools are going to reopen for students because that’s going to drive how much of the off-season conditioning program will be in play.
I said at the beginning of the comments thread that I believe the quality of play in 2020 may not be at the same level. I’ll accept that in exchange for player safety.
LikeLike
But I’m just confused by this heat issue…its hotter in August, where we once did 2 a days, than June. And the number of IPFs is the same in June and August. Why is heat part of this exchange? The smaller schools do the same camps in August. Its hotter in August.
LikeLike
One school of thought is those 15 days are needed as well as SC periods before hand and that’s ceased. It’s hardest on a 6’7” 290 kid to get in shape but with weeks, months off it would be a danger zone of complexities of getting these guys in shape in the heat of August. I know they can work in the IPF but that’s nothing to competing in the heat and humidity of a steamy Sanford Stadium in early September. Yes I am concerned about Newman’s timing with the new receivers but I more more concerned about their safety.
LikeLike
As Bruce says “Waitin’ On A Sunny Day”…….
LikeLike