We’re just under five months from when the 2020 college football season is supposed to kick-off and Notre Dame gets a part this year in Week Zero as they’re currently scheduled to take on Navy in Dublin, Ireland to start the year. Due to the Covid-19 outbreak world-wide though, that and the season as we know it are anything but guaranteed.
The head coaches of both programs, Brian Kelly and Ken Niumatolo of Navy, joined Full Ride on ESPN U Radio Thursday and made news in regards to the season opener.
Are there contingency plans or have they at least begun being made if this game can’t be played in Ireland?
“Oh, absolutely” Kelly said, “We’re looking at all of those possibilities for alternate sites. We would still like to to play it there if it’s at all possible. I think it’s prudent that we’ve begun the process of looking at alternative sites and well, not necessarily knowing truly what the situation will be.”
Notre Dame is slated for opening the season against Navy in Ireland. Will that game happen as scheduled? @NDFootball head coach @CoachBrianKelly talked to @ChildersRadio and @CoachNeuheisel about the importance of having a college football season
in 2020 on Full Ride. pic.twitter.com/PgaDiubcMS— College Sports on SiriusXM (@SXMCollege) April 2, 2020
So no, it hasn’t been cancelled.
Yet.
Niumatolo didn’t get asked about the chances of the game being played in Dublin but did get asked about the amount of time that’d be necessary in order to be able to play that game as scheduled.
“I think if you ask coaches, we’d all want longer. I saw something, I think it was Brian Kelly, talked about a month and a month. A month to start doing physical conditioning with your strength coach and another month to start practicing. I’ve heard somebody say, ‘Hey, we probably could do it in a month. The product may not be the greatest, so to speak.’
“Maybe your guys are in good enough shape that they won’t get hurt. From a fan’s perspective, it will look like football and things will be great. And from a coach’s perspective, maybe you’ll look and see your routes aren’t as crisp. Your pad-level isn’t as great, or whatever the case may be. I think you can still play.”
I wish I had a good answer on it but I don’t. My rule of thumb is usually splitting the extremes so if one says four and one says eight weeks, my guess is you’re looking at six weeks realistically and almost certainly not a day shorter than that to have to be able to get ready.
Kelly also went on to discuss the high expectations he has for the 2020 Fighting Irish, starting with his quarterback and offense and then complimenting his linebackers especially when praising the defense.
So no, nothing has been canceled but it doesn’t sound like anyone is anticipating going to Ireland at this point, either.