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What happens if the Pac-12 doesn’t play? The rest of college football could raid league’s best players says Paul Finebaum
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If the Pac-12 is the only Power 5 conference that decides not to play college football in 2020, don’t be surprised if the sport quickly turns into the Power 4 in a single offseason.
That could be the stark reality facing the Pac-12 in the event the league can’t play college football this fall and players are allowed to explore their options elsewhere. Even if the league doesn’t allow players to simply leave the league, many redshirt juniors and seniors set to graduate would likely be quick to utilize the graduate transfer rule in order to finish out their careers at another school in the fall.
During his Thursday appearance on ESPN morning show “Get Up,” Paul Finebaum said he could envision a scenario where free agency comes to college football in a hurry.
“I think it’s free agency, Greenie, and I think it’s probably already going on. If you’re sitting down there at Clemson or Alabama or Florida or Georgia, or Michigan and you’re thinking, ‘I’ve got a shot at picking out some of the better players in the country,’ you are going to do it. And it’s not like the Pac-12 was healthy anyway.
“I mean this program is already a mess. It barely shows up on the radar screen. Last year Oregon and Utah had a shot and they both lost late in the season. I think they’ve only been in the College Football Playoff twice. So this was a conference that really can’t afford to miss this season, but right now, based on what everyone’s saying, they’re in big danger and players exiting is the worst possible thing.”
Considering the lack of spring practices across the country, Finebaum may have a good point. Coaches looking to gain an edge in the fall would likely be more willing to put experienced players on the field than true freshmen and landing veteran players from the Pac-12 would appear to be a better alternative than relying on players without college experience or much time spent in a college weight training and conditioning program.
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
