The big question surrounding fall sports during this COVID-19 quarantine mostly began with when teams would be allowed back on campus. According to multiple reports, that date has now been set. According to multiple reporters including Brett McMurphy of Stadium.
NCAA Division I Council voted to approve voluntary athletic activities in football, men’s and women’s basketball beginning June 1, sources told @Stadium. Also reported by Yahoo
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) May 20, 2020
Football, men’s and women’s basketball can resume athletic activities on a voluntary basis as of June 1st. This is just another domino that needed to fall in order athletics to resume in a somewhat normal fashion. With this new ruling, players such as Sam Ehlinger who have been holding workouts in his garage can return to campus.
There isn’t a date set as of yet for organized team activities but his falls right in line with some schools who have set June 1, 2020 as a date for athletes to return to school to begin football practice. With Tom Herman and the staff already back on campus, it should only be a matter of time before the team is on the practice field and getting acclimated to the new offense under Mike Yurcich.
It was recently reported by the Austin American-Statesman that Longhorns football games are not likely to transpire per the Austin Public Health Officials. Athletic Director Chris Del Conte stated that the school has no intentions to alter their plans when it comes to the 2020 football schedule so that remains to be one situation to monitor.
There is quite a bit of money at play here with football returning. Based on the revenue generated by the Big 12 Conference’s television deals, they could survive the 2020 season without fans but beyond that it would be hard to fathom they could keep football alive without fans in attendance.