It has been reported by CBS Sports that the NCAA has discussed potential adjustments for the upcoming college football season. In this ever-changing climate due to COVID-19, who really knows when college football will return.
Last week Brian Kelly spoke on when a start date would be the latest for the Irish, July 1st, which was one of the dates that the NCAA has made a model for along with June 1st and August 1st. It is clearly going to be a different feel to football this year, already missing out on spring ball, and until this epidemic is controlled, a real start date for college football can’t even be bantered around.
It makes plenty of sense for the NCAA to prepare for a delayed start to the season, as states nationwide have different stay-at-home orders at the moment. Schools are regulated by the NCAA to have up to 29 practices before their first game, so a July 1st start date doesn’t impact that much at all.
Even an August 1st start date isn’t all that terrible, although schools wouldn’t get to their full allotment of practices in such as the Irish. I feel as if there is potential for the contest against Navy in Dublin, Ireland to start the season could be moved stateside at some point.
There was also some dialogue of an October 1st start if need be, but the powers that be really haven’t discussed that time in detail much, meaning there is hope the season gets underway prior to that. There has been chatter of canceling out of conference games as well, which puts the Irish in a very unique situation. Something would have to give if this was the case in a shortened season.
Everyone wants football back and even if it’s a truncated version, and the masses would be happy. We should be happy about the fact that the NCAA is being proactive on this matter and trying to make sure college football is played any way possible this year.