The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1279712
SEPTEMBER 2020 THE WOLVERINE 21 football seasons in the same calendar year. Count Skene among those skeptics. "No, I think that's a ridiculous idea, that they would try to play next spring, then somehow parlay that into a fall season," Skene said. "I've heard a lot of people talk about this, and I'm in the majority on this one. They're not going to play football this spring. "The rate this is going, the level of cautiousness and the absolute over- bearing decision making that's going on to shut things down, in spite of what the statistics show, I just don't see it. I don't think things are going to be a whole lot different in the spring. "Everybody seems to be waiting on some magical vaccine. That's not going to happen. The flu vaccine is what, 40- to 50-percent effective? They don't have a vaccine that's even close. I just don't see how a spring season is going to work." Other interests also come into play, he cautioned. "There's the impact on the rosters," Skene said. "The NFL is going to be ready to move on with its regular schedule. College football's best play- ers have already said, 'I'm not going to play. I'm getting ready for the NFL.' There will be an impact on every ros- ter in America. "What about the other sports? The women's sports and all the other sports at Michigan, are they going to cram them all into spring in some magical scheduling? I don't see how that's even remotely possible." On the other hand, Skene not only sees football as remotely possible in the Big 12, the ACC and the SEC, he hopes it happens. Asked whether the other leagues might fall like dominoes in canceling, he responded: "I think they will. I hope they don't. I really, really hope the SEC and the ACC play football. Somebody has to step up and set an example that we can move on with our lives and the things we enjoy, things we've worked hard to participate in, looking at these young athletes. "We can still manage the risks. When positive cases come up, that can be managed as well. The Big Ten schools were never given that oppor- tunity. "Even though coaches and players and their families have been going to extraordinary levels to manage it, they were never given the chance to prove that what they were doing was the right thing." He also delivered a dire prediction, if those leagues do move forward. "I would not be surprised one bit, if the SEC and the ACC con- tinue to play, if you see the trans- fer portal light up like a Christmas tree with guys getting out of these leagues, with guys that are wonder- ing if they're ever going to play and they transfer to one of these schools Jim Harbaugh's Last-Ditch Attempt To Save A Season Jim Harbaugh went down swinging. The day before the Big Ten presidents voted to keep the footballs locked up this fall, the Michigan head coach released a notice detailing why they shouldn't. It reads as follows: I would like to address the rumors that are swirling today. I'm not advocating for football this fall because of my passion or our players' desire to play, but because of the facts accumulated over the last eight weeks since our players returned to cam- pus on June 13. I am advocating on Au- gust 10 that this virus can be controlled and handled because of these facts: • The Michigan football program has had 11 positive tests out of 893 adminis- tered, including three upon initial return to campus. • We have had two positive tests out of the last 417 administered. • We have had zero positive tests out of the last 353 administered. • There have been zero positives tests among the coaches or staff over the en- tire eight weeks of testing. • There has been no contract tracing to our fields, weight room, locker room or facility. • We have had zero pauses in our training. • We have complied with all CDC guidelines and self-implemented stricter stan- dards for contacting tracing in quarantining to prevent spread. • We have followed all health and safety guidelines and welcome and encourage any health department, university administrators or other sports programs to visit and see how we practice and execute these protocols. As Darryl Conway, our Chief Medical Officer and a member of the Big Ten's Medical Advisory Group, has stated, "I wish that others could see this model." This isn't easy. This is hard. It is proven that the conduct, discipline and structure within our program have led to these stellar results. We respect the challenge that the virus has presented, however we will not cower from it. We have developed a great prototype for how we can make this work and provide the opportunity for players to play. If you are transparent and follow the rules, this is how it can be done. I am forever proud of our players, parents, coaches and staff for being leaders and role models in our sport, at our institution and in society. We will continue to follow all health and safety guidelines, teach, train and coach those young men and their families that have put their trust in us, while advocating for a football season in the fall. In quoting President Theodore Roosevelt, we do this "so that our place will not be among the cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." #WEWANTTOPLAY #WEWANTTOCOACH — John Borton Before the fall season was called off, Jim Harbaugh's team produced excellent COVID- 19 testing results — in the first eight weeks back on campus, 893 tests were administered to his players and staff, with only 11 positive results, an infection rate of just 1.2 percent. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL