College football and additional varsity sports scheduled for the fall received some interesting news on Friday.
The Big Ten conference has decided to allow individual schools to determine when their student-athletes can return to their respected campuses, according to a report from ESPN.
This means that schools, complying with NCAA guidelines and health officials, can decide for themselves when they deem it safe for athletes to return to workouts and prepare for their seasons.
The report also states that all Big Ten university presidents will convene on June 7 to discuss fall sports, among other important topics.
With the ongoing situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, Big Ten officials announced Friday through a press release that the 2020 Big Ten Football Media Days and Kickoff Luncheon are now cancelled “to ensure the health, safety, and wellness of our student-athletes, coaches, administrators, fans, partners, and media.” The media days would have occurred July 22-23 in Chicago.
Big Ten schools including Purdue, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Northwestern, and Maryland have all made statements planning to return to normal operation in the fall. Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Penn State are hoping to have students return to campus in the fall, potentially in a hybrid format (mix of both online and in-person classes). Rutgers, Michigan State, and Minnesota are all waiting until later this summer to make their decisions on reopening their campuses.
In addition to the Big Ten, the NCAA provided an announcement Friday specifically allowing Division I student-athletes to participate in voluntary workouts beginning June 1. All athletic activities cannot be considered “countable” by programs until June 30.
The NCAA released a tweet on Friday, saying: “Schools are expected to make decisions based on the health, safety, and well-being of their student-athletes and in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.”
Among other decisions made include that FBS schools are not allowed to host summer football camps or clinics, and FBS coaches are prohibited from working any camps or clinics at other institutions affiliated with the NCAA.
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