Tag: Joe Castiglione

Oklahoma athletic director is not trying to alter non-conference games

Oklahoma AD Joe Castiglione joined Siruis radio to set the record straight on Oklahoma’s non-conference dealings.

With the coronavirus pandemic creating uncertainty throughout the sports world, Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione joined Holly Rowe, Gabe Ikard and Chris Plank on Siruis radio to set the record straight on Oklahoma’s non-conference dealings.

The Sooners are currently set to travel to West Point, New York to play Army in 2020 before conference games begin.

New York has been the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States, with over 192,394 total cases in the state according to The New York Times on May 14.

“We’re not investigating any other alternative with non-conference games,” Castiglione said. “Sure there may be some last minute adjustment, but you start trying to move one it creates a chain reaction. I don’t see that being the wisest way to go forward with football.”

College football has yet to see cancellations or postponements outside of spring practices and games.

Oklahoma’s season is currently set to begin on September 5.

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OU athletic director says decision on football season needs to be made by early to mid-June

Oklahoma’s Joe Castiglione has set a timeframe for when he thinks the decision on a football season needs to be made.

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There is not many athletic directors more respected out there than the one at Oklahoma.

Joe Castiglione has guided the Sooners through its current age of football and has put in place championship level programs in almost every sport at Oklahoma.

There has been plenty of talk of timelines, formats and planning for the college football season. Those ideas and contingency plans have gone from rational to out-of-this-world, but Castiglione offered up where he has at with the impending college football season.

He went on play-by-play voice of Oklahoma, Toby Rowland’s, radio show again on April 23, and Castiglione was asked when a decision needs to be made on the football season.

“My view is we need to make a decision somewhere in the early to middle part of June to know whether we are going to be having football start on time or even to have football at all this fall,” he told Rowland, “I’m not sitting there and circling a date on the calendar saying it has to be this particular day, but as we followed this, I think that’s a timeframe that is reasonable. We’re not knowing what is going to happen by then, it’s hard to imagine that 10 or 15, or 20, days after that will tell us anything more. …

“… I think that is the timeframe to decide. Now, a lot of people want to say you need six weeks, seven weeks, eight weeks—I think we can figure all the tactical part out in probably less time than that. I think it’s also important for us to remember that it’s not going to be like we walk student-athletes on to the campus and boom like a light switch, they are back in shape or we are ready to start practicing at the highest level. Shoot, it might take us a week or two to figure through the medial protocols.”

Castiglione said he thinks a decision on whether students will be allowed back on campus should come in early to mid-July, but a decision on football needs to come sooner in order for planning to take place.

Oklahoma is currently scheduled to begin the 2020 season on Sept. 5 against Missouri State.

Lincoln Riley: “We’ll play in the parking lot if that’s where they want us to play”

College football has been one of the main discussions during the shutdown. Lincoln Riley says he’s okay with playing games without fans.

One of the major topics of conversation since the coronavirus shut down sports is what is going to happen when sports return in whatever capacity.

There is still no timeline on when locker rooms can be full, media can begin in-person coverage or when stadiums can be packed with 100,000 or more fans again.

Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione has talked about the prospect of a season in the spring. Head football coach Lincoln Riley has expressed confidence that a 2020 season will happen in some sort of way.

When asked on Friday if he would play games without fans, Riley said he’d be ready to step right outside the stadium if they needed to.

“We’ll play in the parking if that’s where they want us to play,” Riley told ESPNU Radio on SiriusXM. “Of course we’d love to play in front of fans. Both our own and some of our favorite games are getting on the road and all the hostility and all that comes with road atmospheres. So you certainly hope we can do it with the fans whenever that may be, but if it comes down to playing or playing a season based on not having fans on the stands, that’s okay.”

“We definitely want to play whenever it is. Whether it’s early, late—doesn’t matter. But do I think if there is an opportunity, no matter where it’s at in the calendar, I do believe if there is an opportunity to play in front of our fans and everybody else be able to play in front of their fans, I’d think we’d be crazy not to take a strong look at it.”

The Big 12 is currently not allowing in-person contact at all for its respective schools through May 31. The University of Oklahoma has canceled in-person classes for its summer session through Aug. 1.

Oklahoma is scheduled to currently kickoff the 2020 season on Sept. 5 against Missouri State.

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Joe Castiglione, Lincoln Riley have message for Oklahoma fans amid coronavirus pandemic

There’s pessimism and there’s optimism for a potential college football season. Oklahoma’s leadership provided a message to its fans.

There’s pessimism and there’s optimism for a potential college football season, but not much in-between.

More and more college football coaches and officials are getting their voice out on the ever-changing coronavirus pandemic, how it’s effecting football programs and the future of an entire season. Oklahoma is no different, with the two at the top of the food chain making recent appearances.

Athletic director Joe Castiglione went on play-by-play voice Toby Rowland’s radio show last week. Head football coach Lincoln Riley had his own 30-minutes of media appearances across three shows Monday.

The two were asked every question in the book from what’s happened since, what adjustments have been made, how has the team handled it to what is missed in spring football and how they overcome it.

Castiglione, though, was asked about more of the athletic department side of things, and he was open and honest about much of everything. OU’s athletic director said they are reaching out to as many fans, ticket holders and donors they can. Oklahoma has delayed ticket renewals and tried to be as flexible as possible in this unknown time.

“There have been so many times where we had a plan ready to put together and implement and then a major piece of news that just absolutely kicks the plan right to the curb and you have to completely recalibrate,” Castiglione told Rowland. “And I understand what that might be like in individual families or for people who are dealing with this. Dealing with some family member who might have contracted the virus. So we’re praying for everybody, we have everybody in our mind. We’re trying to have various moments where we can reach out to people who have been affected in one way or another and let them know we care about them.”

Riley was given an open platform to Oklahoma fans that are also patiently awaiting football during his appearance on 107.7 The Franchise in Oklahoma City.

“It’s tough. I think more than anything, hopefully everybody appreciates what they have,” Oklahoma’s head coach said. “The opportunities they have to enjoy Oklahoma football whether it’s a fan, whether it’s a coach or a player—we’re all very blessed to be able to be a part of this program and all the great things that have happened here for a long, long time. I promise you we are as antsy to get back as anybody and we’re working hard to make sure that this team will be ready to go when we get the green light.”

Castiglione was given the same opportunity with Rowland.

“And I think this time is to try to keep the main priorities in order—first and foremost, get through this,” he said. “However that is going to happen. Get through it healthy. We don’t know what the world is going to look like exactly. We can sit here and speculate all we want. But get through it healthy, get through it safe. Everybody’s ready to go. We’ll figure it out whatever that is. It might be tough. It might be completely unlike what we ever could have expected. Obviously we are in a period of time where things like that are happening literally hour-by-hour.

“We just want people to know that we get it. We want to be able to have what they love, and that’s the opportunity of sports, student-athletes, our teams—that’s a unifying element for many, many people. We get that. We want to be ready to make it possible when it’s right. We’re trying to do everything we can to be ready.”

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Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione talks possibility of 2021 spring football season

The conversation is already running rampant, and OU athletic director Joe Castiglione spoke about the possibility of a 2021 spring season.

“I haven’t done any polling (among other athletic directors), but in my mind absolutely,” Oklahoma’s athletic director said. “I think anything short of no football season at all is something we’d have to talk about.

“We look at what you need to be prepared for the season and then start counting backwards,” Castiglione said. “Optimal would be having our players back on campus practicing sometime after the first of July. That would be optimal.”

“We understand that we’re dealing with something much bigger than sports, but you’re talking about our job, you’re talking about things that help make our athletic program operate, you’re talking about the economic engine for our entire program,” Castiglione said. “And if we’re not playing football at all in the upcoming year, that is something no one has ever imagined. But now we’re having to do that. What does that look like financially? It’s not a pretty picture at all. That’s the daunting part of having to do these contingency plans and scenarios.”

Oklahoma football says spring game is not canceled, won’t take place on April 18

A little confusion has been straightened out. Oklahoma’s spring game has not been canceled, but in a waiting period during pandemic.

A little confusion has been straightened out.

Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione went on an Oklahoma City radio station Wednesday afternoon for a segment with columnist Berry Tramel (The Oklahoman). At the tail end of the interview, Tramel asked Castiglione about the upcoming spring game in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Oklahoma spring game is scheduled for April 18 at 5 p.m. CT. At least it was.

“Basically we’re saying the reality—there’s just not anyway we are going to have it,” Castiglione said. “It’s hard to even say when and if we’ll be able to return to any type of practice in the next 30 to 45 days.”

Castiglione backed off his strong, impromptu statement on the game in a later released statement from Oklahoma football. The spring game has not been fully canceled, but in a waiting period.

“We’ve been receiving a lot of questions about whether the spring game will be held on April 18, or even at all,” he said in a press release. “The fact of the matter is it would be virtually impossible to hold the game on the originally scheduled date since we’re not sure when or if we’ll be able to return to practice. So in talking with Coach (Lincoln) Riley, we feel at the very least it’s appropriate to announce that the game and associated activities will not occur on April 18.

“Given all of the unknowns we’re facing, it’s impossible to determine right now when or if the game will be rescheduled. We will continue to communicate updates as information becomes available.”

This is still an expected blow to Lincoln Riley, who has made the spring game weekend a priority recruiting even for upcoming recruiting classes. Baker Mayfield was set to have his Heisman Trophy statue unveiled in the stadium during the game.

The Big 12 Conference has yet to cancel spring football practices and games for its 10 member league. The ACC and SEC have already canceled spring practices and games entirely for their respective conferences.

According to multiple reports after Castiglione’s radio segment, the expectation is that Oklahoma’s spring game will not take place.

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Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione says Oklahoma spring game is canceled

The coronavirus impact has essentially ended the 2019-20 calendar sports year for Oklahoma. OU’s spring game has been canceled.

The coronavirus impact has essentially ended the 2019-20 calendar sports year for Oklahoma.

After the Big 12 canceled the spring sports season due to the pandemic, football spring games remained up in the air. According to Brian Davis of the Austin American-Statesman, Big 12 conference athletic directors were scheduled to talk about the cancelation of spring football at 3 p.m. Wednesday.

Nothing had been announced yet from the conference, but Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione was on air with Berry Tramel of the Oklahoman on 98.1 the Sports Animal in Oklahoma City when he decided to pull the plug.

Castiglione broke it unexpectedly during the segment while talking to Tramel.

“We’ll probably … I guess I’m announcing it right now,” he said. “Basically we’re saying the reality. There’s just not anyway we are going to have it. It’s hard to even say when and if we’ll be able to return to any type of practice in the next 30 to 45 days.”

The Sooners spring game was scheduled for April 18 at 5 p.m. CT. Oklahoma was set to unveil its Baker Mayfield’s Heisman Trophy statue inside the stadium during the game. The weekend of the spring game is also one of Lincoln Riley’s biggest recruiting opportunities with everything that comes with the spring game weekend.

Oklahoma’s athletic director went into his thinking behind it.

“I can just tell ya that while we have come out and announced the spring game, the date being April 18, being canceled, I don’t see any way that’s going to happen. I really don’t,” Castiglione said. “We’re sitting here looking at it from two different ways—one, obviously people are canceling all kinds of events for the next thirty or more days. So there’s one reason. The other reason is related to practice. I can’t sit here and tell you any team that is going to get back and have a normal practice. They just can’t do that. So to sit here and think that we’re going to have a spring game and not be able to even say when we’re going to return to practice is silly.

As SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey pointed out, this may not mean the end to football practice, although the likelihood of that happening also doesn’t seem too realistic.

The Big 12 conference has yet to announce a league-wide cancelation of spring football or spring games yet.

Matt Ravis of 98.1 The Sports Animal contributed to this report.

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