MU going online-only for summer classes. What does that mean for football season?
Despite navigating the uncertainty of a pandemic, Missouri athletic director Jim Sterk is preparing as if Mizzou will kick off its 2020 football season on time. After all, there’s still five months before MU coach Eliah Drinkwitz and his Tigers take Faurot Field for a scheduled Sept. 5 game against Central Arkansas.
“We’re planning on the (football) season happening,” Sterk said on a Zoom call last week. “I’m just not going to really get into the speculation phase.”
But with the university announcing Monday it will conduct all summer sessions on an online-only basis, further doubt has been case on the 2020 football season. If students and faculty aren’t allowed on campus, football practices could be out of the question, too.
Sterk said the fact some SEC schools have opted for online classes “doesn’t necessarily prohibit campus from being open.” For football practices and games, Sterk said it’ll come down to what the Centers for Disease Control and local health officials declare safe.
MU’s summer session starts June 8 and ends July 31 — right around the time fall training camp is slated to open. If the pandemic continues and it’s deemed unsafe for student-athletes to practice, the start of the football season could be delayed.
Sterk noted the SEC has been in contact with coaches in terms of what the buildup might look like before the season starts.
Fall training camp usually lasts the entirety of August. For a bruising sport like football, simply being in shape for the season is always a key health factor. Without a full allotment of practices, players could be at risk for more injuries.
And for a first-year coach like Drinkwitz, every minute of practice is crucial as he looks to implement his culture and schemes.
The SEC recently extended its suspension of all-in person athletic activities, including practices, meetings and gatherings, until at least May 31.
A date to perhaps keep an eye on is July 13. That’s when the annual SEC football media days event is scheduled to start in Atlanta. Drinkwitz is scheduled to speak on the first day. If media days are pushed back or canceled, it could signify early changes to football’s season kickoff.
Sound like there’s a lot up in the air? That’s true. The football season is still months away, but it’s difficult to pinpoint an exact timeline when it comes to the dealing with the coronavirus.
“Obviously if the university is closed and it’s shut down the way it is now and we’re sheltering at home, there’s not going to be activity,” Sterk said. “Where that goes from there, we’ll have to see.”
This story was originally published April 6, 2020 at 1:47 PM.