Will There Be A Pac-12 Season?
May 15, 2020, 6:14 PM
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Will the University of Utah be able to play football this fall? That question, among many others, are yet to be answered. With the news of Los Angeles likely to be in lockdown for a further three months, it seems more and more likely that the Pac-12 is in serious jeopardy of not playing football in the fall.
Nobody has the answer, not even Dr. Anthony Fauci, which is concerning, to say the least. However, locally in the state of Utah the government has tried effortlessly to slowly re-open the state and the economy alike. University of Utah Athletic Director, Mark Harlin, stated on a recent media interview that the University of Utah is eyeing June 1st to re-open all athletic training facilities. That means that the student-athletes will be able to return to their second home and begin working out again.
However, at least two of Utah’s Pac-12 South foe in USC and UCLA seem to be a long way from opening their facilities up. The idea of having a level playing field in 2020 seems impossible. Some teams, simply based on where they are geographically located, will have a clear advantage if the Pac-12 season were to go ahead.
Breaking: Los Angeles County’s stay-at-home orders will “with all certainty” be extended for the next three months, Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer acknowledged during a Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday https://t.co/jswRcZ5FkS
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) May 12, 2020
Player Safety Paramount
Furthermore, how do coaches handle the idea of players potentially sitting out of voluntary independent workouts once the universities open up? Will student-athletes actually be given a decision to make or will that decision be made for them by the coaches?
It just seems that the situation unfolding is going to get ugly, certain individuals are going to be upset.
Does The NCAA Have A Commissioner Yet?
Which is why the NCAA desperately needs a commissioner. Currently, the only commissioner’s within the sport are conference commissioners. The NCAA does not have one. Why? Nobody knows. Although, they do have a President, its just, nobody respects or listens to him.
It is no secret that college football is flawed. Could the novel coronavirus be the derailing of college football as we know it? Is the beginning of the end already upon us with regards to power 5 conferences leaving the NCAA umbrella?
You could certainly argue so.
The Podcast
Former University of Utah punter, Tom Hackett, alongside Utah insider Steve Bartle join forces to deliver the most informative, entertaining and enjoyable Utah Football related podcast. From recruiting news to inside the locker room stories, Hackett and Bartle will keep you up to date with the happenings of Utah football. A serious podcast about men strapped in protection that can occasionally turn frivolous, well, only if local Salt Lake City food destinations gets brought up. We digress, if you are a fan of Utah football, or just football in general, click subscribe and let the good times roll!
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Tom Hackett is a Utah and Real Salt Lake Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the It’s Utah’s World Podcast (Utah Football themed) and The Lion’s Den Podcast (Real Salt Lake themed). Follow him on Twitter: @TomCantHackett.
