Pac-12 commissioner doesn’t believe college football will be played if students are not allowed to return to campus
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There have been plenty of discussions regarding the pending start of the college football season and whether it can or cannot happen if campuses across the country are not reopened to students but one of the sport’s big decision-makers recently shared his thoughts on that subject.
The way Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott sees things playing out, if campuses aren’t open for students to return, it’s unlikely college football is played in the fall.
Of course, Scott was careful with his words during a recent appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show,” but here’s what the Pac-12 commissioner had to say when asked if Pac-12 programs will be allowed to have football if students are not allowed back on campus.
“I don’t believe we’re going to play football, if students can’t be brought back safely to campus,” Scott said on the show. “I don’t think we’re going to treat student-athletes or football players, as some special class. I don’t think we’ve got the ability to quarantine them and put them in a bubble, the way some pro sports might.
“Now, what does students come back to campus mean? It might mean different things for different schools. I’ve been in touch with all of our university presidents, and they’re all working through their own scenarios, but it’s not going to be — the new normal it’s not going to be the old normal.
“I think there’s going to be hybrid situations, in all likelihood, in terms of class size. Maybe it’s not all students coming back at once but I do believe student-athletes will be amongst the earliest groups to be allowed to come back.”
Scott made an important distinction there, as campuses may reopen but the majority of students may opt to take virtual courses over returning to campus. It is interesting that he also notes that athletes are likely to be the first welcomed back to campus, with the expectation being that football programs will need several weeks just to prepare to open a training camp before the upcoming season.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
