Tag: plan

4 takeaways from the Chiefs’ pre-draft visits

What can we learn about the #Chiefs’ draft plans from the team’s pre-draft visits?

The Kansas City Chiefs have been very busy over the past 36 days hosting draft-eligible prospects at team facilities for top-30 visits. The team has just seven more days to get their pre-draft visits done, but we’ve already found out about more than half of those 30 allotted prospects they’ve had in.

These visits don’t always signal interest in the 2023 NFL draft, but every year the team manages to select at least one of the players they’ve met with. Last season, they grabbed Joshua Williams in the fourth round and Jaylen Watson in the seventh round after hosting them on top-30 visits.

With all that in mind, we’ve got a few takeaways from the list of prospects who’ve visited the Chiefs so far and what it might mean during the upcoming draft:

How Saints can get an A-plus haul in 2021 NFL draft

The New Orleans Saints are in a tough spot in the 2021 NFL draft, but they have a road to earning an A-plus grade by making the right moves.

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The 2021 NFL draft hasn’t even started and the New Orleans Saints have made waves through some exploratory chatter. While a trade up into the 20’s was nearly a universal suspicion, news that the team is aggressively trying to move into the top 10 came as an abrupt shock. Identifying who New Orleans is coveting is almost impossible, but one can surmise that they have clear targets to serve as immediate playmakers.

As they continue to pursue a slot in the Top 10, albeit unsuccessfully, any plans of playing it safe in this draft are out the window. The Saints are infamously aggressive in the draft; with eight picks at their disposal, that rare capital could allow for some pointed moves. With that, here’s how New Orleans can take advantage of this tumultuous draft and get an A-plus haul out of this year’s class.

What happens if a CFB Playoff game is cancelled? A plan is announced

The COVID pandemic has hindered a lot of original plans, but a backup should always be in order. The College Football PLayoff announced p…

A year like 2020 has taught us many things, one of the most important being: always have a backup plan.

The ongoing COVID pandemic has impacted nearly every sport, conference, program or individual. Many games throughout the 2020 college football season had either been cancelled or postponed and rescheduled.

For example, Ohio State only managed to play five regular season games due to constant issues with in-program outbreaks or an opponent dealing with the virus.

With bowl season upon the college football community, all eyes turn toward the final four teams and their bowl games, AKA Semi-Finals for the 2020-2021 National Championship.

Though it may seem unnecessary with there only being two games to play, the College Football Playoff organization has come up with a plan in case any games are cancelled.

The plan consists of three dates, ideal for any COVID-related issues teams may face prior to the originally scheduled game, allowing enough time for testing and any arrangements that need to be made.

Big Ten members confident presidents, chancellors will approve plan to play football in 2020

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by Jeff Potrykus of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and has been republished in full below. MADISON, Wis. – For the first time since the Big Ten shut down all fall sports on Aug. 11, people …

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by Jeff Potrykus of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and has been republished in full below. 

MADISON, Wis. — For the first time since the Big Ten shut down all fall sports on Aug. 11, people familiar with the decision have transitioned from hopeful to confident the league’s football teams will play in 2020.

Those people told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel they expect the Big Ten’s Council of Presidents and Chancellors will vote to start the season, with the target date Oct. 17.

The Council of Presidents and Chancellors voted, 11-3, last month to shut down all Big Ten fall sports because of concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.

Ohio State, Nebraska and Iowa were the three schools that voted to play.

Nine votes will be needed to reverse the original decision, and Wisconsin is expected to vote yes this time.

The people who spoke on the condition of anonymity reiterated that reliable, rapid testing has played a critical role and helped turn the tide in the favor of trying to play this year.

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Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez has consistently talked about the importance of such tests, beginning with a Zoom session on Aug. 11.

The Big Ten’s medical subcommittee on Saturday made a formal presentation to the league’s presidential steering committee, which features presidents/chancellors from eight schools.

The 14-member Council of Presidents and Chancellors is scheduled to briefed Sunday on the medical updates.

The council could approve the plan Sunday or Monday.

An Oct. 17 start date would be critical for Wisonsin because Alvarez, the chairperson of the Big Ten’s return to competition task force, announced Wednesday that the football and men’s hockey workouts were being shut down for two weeks.

Alvarez said on his monthly radio show that, according to head coach Paul Chryst, Wisconsin would require only three weeks of prep time to play an opener.

An Oct. 17 start would allow Big Ten teams to play eight games in a nine-week window, with a league title game on Dec. 19.

The College Football Playoff field is scheduled to be revealed on Dec. 20.

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Voting to play football this fall would cap a month that has brought tumult, dissension and embarrassment to the league since commissioner Kevin Warren announced the shutdown.

That announcement, which included an eight-paragraph statement and generic comments by Warren on the Big Ten Network, came six days after Big Ten officials revealed a 10-game schedule, featuring only league games.

The lack of transparency in announcing the shutdown, as well as Warren’s disappearance for nearly a week, led fans from Ohio State, Penn State, Nebraska and Iowa to release letters demanding specific answers.

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields started a petition on Aug. 16 requesting the league reverse its decision. More than 250,000 people joined the petition by the next day.

Questions lingered about whether the Council of Presidents and Chancellors held a formal vote or if Warren drove the decision to shut down fall sports.

Warren responded on Aug. 19 by releasing a more detailed explanation of the decision but that did little to satisfy parents, players and coaches from several schools.

A group of eight Nebraska players filed a lawsuit on Aug. 27 seeking a reversal of the league’s decision and President Donald Trump became involved on Sept. 1 when he spoke to Warren before visiting Kenosha.

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Ohio State coach Ryan Day on Thursday released a statement on Twitter blasting the lack of communication from the league since the original decision.

He is final line was blunt:

“Our players want to know: why can’t they play?”

Approving the plan to start up football will be a critical step, but Big Ten teams could face issues trying to deal with COVID-19.

SMU, TCU, Virginia Tech, North Carolina State, Baylor, Oklahoma State, Virginia and Tulsa are among the teams that have been forced to postpone games already this season.

The league’s football coaches and athletic directors understand the road ahead could be rocky but they are convinced they’ll be able to take that first step on Oct. 17.

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NCAA set to approve six-week calendar for ramp-up to CFB season

The NCAA is set to approve a six-week calendar in order for the 2020 CFB season to begin on time. It has begun, with voluntary activities.

The NCAA is set to approve a six-week calendar in order for the 2020 college football season to begin on time. The plan is already happening, as schools were allowed to begin voluntary and virtual activities on June 1.

With August 7 as the first day of practice, teams are allowed to start their summer activities on July 13, 25 days before practice begins. After 11 days, teams can begin to have walkthroughs and meetings.

Once the regular season begins, there will be no limitations or differences from a normal college football season. Teams will be allowed four hours of practice on a day to day basis and up to 20 hours a week.

This is just the first step to not only have a college football season but for it to begin on time. COVID-19 will continue to effect places throughout the country, even if football is played. The NCAA’s plan is seen as the best possible way to protect coaches and the student-athletes.

If Texas does get to play their season opener against South Florida on September 5, there is a good chance fans will be allowed in the seats. As of June 4, Governor Abbot ruled outdoor stadiums could be filled to 50% capacity.

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No Stanford or USC for Notre Dame This Year?

Notre Dame has built big-time rivalries with USC and Stanford over the years. Now the Pac-12 says those games may be skipped in 2020 – read

Notre Dame and USC have developed the best inter-sectional rivalry in college football, 91 times since 1926 with the schools each having seven Heisman Trophy winners in that time, which with Ohio State is as many as any program in college football history.

Notre Dame and Stanford began playing annually in 1988 (aside from a hiatus in ’96 and ’96) and have developed a strong rivalry over the last few decades as well.

Now both might be off Notre Dame’s schedule in 2020 if what was discussed by the Pac-12 on Monday ends up playing out as the Pac-12 has had talks about it’s member schools only playing games against each other this college football season.

“It’s been discussed in our Pac-12 meetings, and it’s been discussed by the commissioners,” USC head coach Clay Helton said via video conference call on Monday.

“That is one of the many structures as we go through this situation and this crisis that is a possibility of an all-conference schedule,” Helton said. “That is one of the structures under discussion, depending on where we are at six to eight weeks from now. Those are viable discussions, and it has been brought up in our meetings.”

You can say a lot of things about USC but saying they’re afraid to schedule big-time opponents is not one of them.  Not only would that wipe away the annual Notre Dame game this year, it’d also mean the USC opener against Alabama to be played in Arlington, Texas would be waived off.

In order to find a solution for college football in 2020, Stanford head coach David Shaw says there is one rather important figure in the United States that will likely ultimately have to offer their opinion.

“I think the president of the United States is going to have a weigh-in, and I think every state governor is going to have a weigh-in”

“I think every president, provost, chancellor is going to have a weigh-in. There may be a scenario to where campuses are partially open, and if we can bring back athletes and bring back a section of the student body, that may not be exactly what Mr. Emmert is talking about, but that may be good for a certain university. They may feel they’re comfortable and ready to resume part of their normal activities and still field teams for fall sports, and not just football, then I think that’s going to be acceptable.”

This situation is about as fluid as fluid gets.  Helton mentioned that everyone will know a lot more in six weeks and he’s right – although that puts us at almost the end of June which means a decision will just about be due in terms of starting on time because pre-season team workouts would have to be taking place.

I’m all for safety and for coronavirus infecting as few people as we can possibly make it but can someone explain to me why it’d be OK for Washington to make a trip to play at Arizona (1526 miles) but Southern California wouldn’t be able to travel to Arlington to take on Alabama (1435 miles)?  Do we really think that would limit the spread of anything?

I credit the Pac-12 for trying to find a solution and for being open while doing so but this life-raft appears to have a couple of holes in it from a far.

If it’s what ultimately has to be done then that’s better than no sports or no football, I think we can all agree.

No Notre Dame and USC one fall though?

That’s like ordering a pizza without cheese.