The COVID-19 pandemic has brought sports to a halt. Even as some states begin to lift stay-at-home restrictions and open back up, the hopes for sports being played in 2020 remain uncertain.
Now, the Southeastern Conference took the latest step on Friday that indicates the 2020 college football season will be delayed.
SEC suspends on-campus clinics, camps until August
As questions linger over when college football will return, the nation’s top football conference announced on Friday that it is suspending all in-person camps and coaching clinics through July 31.
The SEC notes in its statement that in-person practices and meetings will remain suspended through May 31, leaving the door open for players to return to campus to start practicing in June.
However, hurdles remain that will likely prevent any team from practicing in the months ahead.
College campuses must open
In a conference call this past month with Vice President Mike Pence, the College Football Playoff Management Committee said campuses need to open for all students before college football can return.
On Thursday, the University of Iowa announced it will resume athletic practices starting on June 1. Meanwhile, major universities in Texas and the University of Oklahoma are among dozens of schools preparing to bring students back for the fall semester.
An overwhelming majority of athletic directors expect college football to be played in 2020. Now, many universities are taking the steps necessary to bring football back. As the SEC is demonstrating, though, precautions are continuously being made and things can change in an instant during the pandemic.