VAUGHT: The bigger story here: players organizing

By LARRY VAUGHT

The light that seemed to be burning bright for the start of college football season just a week ago certainly seems to have dimmed and has started to flicker.

The Big Ten announced Saturday it was delaying full-contact football practices due to COVID-19. Teams will continue with helmets only in practice.

Pay close attention to this statement in the Big Ten’s released about its decision: “We understand there are many questions regarding how this impacts schedules, as well as the feasibility of proceeding forward with the season at all.”

If that wasn’t enough to get your attention, the Mid-American Conference cancelled its fall football season Saturday due to the coronavirus. Not delayed the start like the Southeastern Conference did but just wiped out the fall season. The MAC also cancelled all fall sports and cited the financial burden of trying to follow COVID-19 protocols as one reason.

If that wasn’t enough, two Power Five athletic directors told CBS Sports that they expected the 2020 college football season to be cancelled soon. Neither athletic director wanted to be identified.

The Detroit Free Press reported that Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren is believed to prefer attempting to play a season in spring 2021.

We’ve also seen about 30 Power Five players, including some top players, opt out of the season due to COVID-19 worries.

If that’s not enough, national college football writer Matt Hayes of Bleacher Report posted this text message he got from a Power Five athletic director on Twitter:

“You and your colleagues are chasing the wrong story. The virus alone is enough to stop the season. But presidents are terrified of players organizing. It’s the paradigm shift to change amateur sports. You potentially lose one season with the virus. You lose the entire framework of your mission statement with players organizing. They need time to figure out how to attack it.”

Okay, let me admit I never even thought about that cancelling this season. Am I naive? Maybe. But players have nationwide have been coming together asking for safer conditions and more in some instances. Perhaps that does scare college administrators, especially combined with the unknown about the coronavirus.

Bottom line is that when you combine all the news from Saturday, it was a tough day for college football and reminds us that plans in place for the season are just that — plans — and we are a long way from knowing if we are going to have college football or not.