The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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22 THE WOLVERINE SEPTEMBER 2020 Bob Wojnowski, The Detroit News: Big Ten football in trouble if other conferences play on "Big Ten leaders climbed to the highest moral ground when they postponed football and all fall sports in the hope of play- ing in the spring, and it indeed might prove to be the right thing to do. "But was it done for the right reasons at the right time? It's generally foolish to argue against science and safety during a pandemic, except this is about more than that. This is a power play lacking transparency and any semblance of a real plan. It's good to have a healthy fear of COVID-19, but this also is fear of liability and fear of losing status in the academic hierarchy. "The Big Ten made the unilateral, even arrogant, decision to halt fall football before any other conference, a mere six days after it unveiled its schedule. The presidents and chancellors, and commissioner Kevin Warren, ditched their measured ap- proach and basically blindsided their members without suf- ficiently answering two little questions: Why now? What now? "What if the three other Power Five conferences — SEC, ACC, Big-12 — don't follow the lead of the Big Ten and Pac-12? I honestly don't think the Big Ten believes that's possible, but those conferences are pushing ahead, at least for now. If they play this fall and pull it off safely, the Big Ten will be severely damaged, financially and competitively, in recruiting and exposure." Bill Bender, Sporting News: Big Ten coaches want spring football, and here's why that's not a bad option "A competitive spring football schedule faces even more ob- stacles, and that starts with COVID-19. The pandemic could still factor into whether football can be played safely in the winter, but if that is the case then it's likely that the other Power Five conferences cancel their fall seasons and will be looking for spring alternatives, too. "For the Big Ten, the preparation begins now. "'I think it's possible, but I think we'll have to be really smart and we'll have to certainly alter the way we go about it,' Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said. 'If this becomes a reality, which it's the next thing up on the board, the first challenge is to get our guys ready … to play in the spring. That's a huge challenge.' "A spring football schedule is more appealing to the college football fan than the annual rite of spring football. Spring games have wacky scoring formats, and several teams have moved from live tackling to 'thud' during games. That means full-speed stops at first contact. "An abbreviated season would spice that up, but it depends on whether that can be married to the following fall season. "That is the biggest challenge for coaches in terms of chart- ing player development in the fall, winter and upcoming spring. "'It's what you do after the spring season has ended and how that pertains to the next fall,' Ferentz said. 'It's just what you make of the fall and how you train to get ready for that. It will look different than it's ever looked before.' What They're Saying About The Big Ten's Decision One of the major questions facing the Big Ten and Pac-12 — the two Power Five leagues who have postponed football so far — is will play- ers who are projected high picks, like senior wideout Nico Collins, have reason to suit up in the spring while trying to also prepare for the NFL Draft and play professionally next fall? PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL that is going to play," Skene said. "They want to continue their foot- ball dreams and maybe chase an NFL opportunity. I absolutely believe that. That will happen if those other leagues play." ALL-TOO-QUIET SATURDAYS With all that remains unknown, this much is certain. The Michigan March- ing Band won't take the field. The M- Club banner won't be unfurled. Nervous freshmen won't worry about tripping upon their first leap to touch the iconic banner, before 110,000 riotous fans. Sophomore tailback Zach Charbonnet won't make a single breakaway touchdown run. Senior wideout Nico Collins won't soar above the crowd to snatch a touchdown pass like he'd leapt off a trampoline. Old friends won't meet to tailgate. Potential new ones might not ever cross paths. No young boy or girl will experi- ence the wonder of their first glimpse of Michigan Stadium's vastness from the inside, feeling the wonder. Skene hates that realization. "This is terrible history," he said. "It's terrible history to be part of. It sucks. The community of Ann Arbor, the financial impact to Ann Arbor, is going to suffer. "But people are going to find out other things to do. Young college peo- ple that are in Ann Arbor for school are going to do what young college people do. They're going to congregate, party and have fun.