Is KU football’s scheduled opener in doubt? There are reasons to think so
Kansas football’s official schedule still has the team opening the 2020 season on Sept. 5 at home against New Hampshire.
There are reasons, though, to think that game might not take place.
New Hampshire — an FCS school located in Durham, N.H. — has yet to return any of its athletes to campus, with a report date that is still to be determined, according to a New Hampshire athletics spokesperson. The expected return date, for now, is sometime in August, the spokesperson said.
FCS football programs often have their players report to campus in early summer. For New Hampshire specifically, the New Hampshire Union-Leader reported earlier that in most seasons, “generally the bulk of the team is in Durham for most of July for optional workouts and fall camp officially opens in early August.”
A potential August arrival for football appears to differ from many other FCS programs. Southeast Missouri, for example, had its players return to campus earlier this week, and that’s even without the team currently playing in Week 1 — its opener on Sept. 3 vs. Dayton was canceled because of challenges related to COVID-19.
KU also has its own issues ahead of Week 1. The football team suspended voluntary workouts last weekend after 12 players tested positive for the coronavirus. Since then, KU has implemented a self-quarantine for two weeks among all football players and staff members; athletic director Jeff Long said the program would only resume football preparations when athletes and staff were tested again for COVID-19 following the initial 14-day quarantine.
New Hampshire athletic director Marty Scarano, when requested by The Star this week, reported through a spokesperson that he was holding off on interviews “until we have a clearer understanding of what the fall sports season will look like.”
Previous quotes by Scarano, however, signal it’s at least in question whether his team will be in Lawrence on Sept. 5.
In a June 10 article from the Union Leader, Scarano spoke about his preference that his sports teams remain close to home during upcoming events. He even mentioned the possibility of canceling road contests that involved air travel.
The Star previously reported that KU is set to pay New Hampshire $500,000 for its appearance in that Sept. 5 game. The contract contains a vague list of circumstances that could potentially void the agreement without penalty, including “acts of God” ... but it includes no specific mention of a pandemic.
Scarano told the Union Leader in June that he’d sent the game contract to his lawyer for interpretation, and he planned to call Long to talk about the game.
At the time, Scarano hoped to announce return plans for his school’s programs by early to mid-July.
“We’re not in the same situation as the Big 12 right now so we have to have that discussion,” Scarano told the Union Leader in early June, referring to having a set protocol to bring athletes back to campus. “And hopefully we’re playing on Sept. 5 against Kansas but there’s no guarantee we will.”
Scarano also relayed to the Union Leader at the time that he wasn’t sure the FCS schedule would begin as scheduled.
“If there isn’t football this fall, forget the mid-majors like us, the Power Five schools are in deep, deep financial trouble, which will change the whole culture of NCAA athletics as we know it,” Scarano told the Union Leader. “That’s why there’s a sense of desperation among those guys to play football because they support not just their school, they support the whole darn athletic system as we know it.”
In the latest COVID-19 update on its website from June 15, New Hampshire athletics responded to a season-ticket-holder FAQ that asked, in part, whether there would be a 2020 New Hampshire football season.
“Our administrative staff, informed by and in coordination with the CDC, State of New Hampshire, the University of New Hampshire and the Colonial Athletic Association, is doing everything in its power to minimize risk and ensure a safe return to fall sports that will begin on time,” the response said. “This, of course, is subject to change as we continue to closely monitor the circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The health of our students, faculty, staff and fans is our top priority, and we are meeting regularly to develop a safe and sound strategy to welcome you back to Wildcat Country.”
This story was originally published July 8, 2020 at 3:39 PM.
