PAC 12 Thread v6.0

[BamaDude]

Even if it didn't look like it at the time, Larry Scott & company made the right decision in postponing the Pac-12's 2020 season - but not because of Covid-19. All the wildfires out West make it downright dangerous to play - or even wander outside. Who knows when this will let up? Maybe not until late November or December, depending on when some substantial snowfall could be counted on to help quench the fires' advance.

This disaster is likely to take its toll on teams' recruiting, too, if it goes on much longer; and might even be enough to persuade some current underclassmen to transfer elsewhere.

 

[wazzu31]

Even if it didn't look like it at the time, Larry Scott & company made the right decision in postponing the Pac-12's 2020 season - but not because of Covid-19. All the wildfires out West make it downright dangerous to play - or even wander outside. Who knows when this will let up? Maybe not until late November or December, depending on when some substantial snowfall could be counted on to help quench the fires' advance.

This disaster is likely to take its toll on teams' recruiting, too, if it goes on much longer; and might even be enough to persuade some current underclassmen to transfer elsewhere.

There have been worse fires and Larry Scott made the players play.

 

[BamaDude]

There have been worse fires and Larry Scott made the players play.

According to all the news reports, there's never been so many acres consumed in one season as this year's. Maybe one or two random bad fires in the past, but not so many major fires at once across so many states.

 

[Muncie2]

Kedon Slovis leads the way for the USC football team in an attempt to persuade Governor Newsom to get the Pac-12 season started

 

[TheLonestarDUCK]

AG sent me this and asked if I would post it.

 

[wazzu31]

According to all the news reports, there's never been so many acres consumed in one season as this year's. Maybe one or two random bad fires in the past, but not so many major fires at once across so many states.

Sure, but that is not what I said. Air quality has been worse when we played Portland State in Pullman and when we played Cal at Berkeley. Acres does not equal a worse fire or air quality. Air quality is worse right now in Seattle and Portland than it has been but Larry Scott can’t pretend these fires or air quality is an issue when he hasn’t cancelled one Wazzu game when air quality is always an issue in early September games in Pullman and Berkeley was all but evacuated a few years ago when we got steam rolled when we were like 8 or something in the country.

 

[FORKWDEVIL]

AG sent me this and asked if I would post it.
View attachment 253315

I think ASU is improving even more.

 

[RegentDenali]

 

[PSUTE]

We're Baaaack....... Seems Governor Moonbeam Jr. backed off...

The day began with the Pac-12 standing alone, the lone Power Five conference still sticking by its decision to sit out the fall football season.

But after all of twists and turns on a wild day, after the hand-wringing and conflicting statements and political posturing, the athletic directors from USC and UCLA sat on a Zoom call together with Los Angeles County health officials on Wednesday night, determined not to let their shared city be the last remaining roadblock in the Pac-12’s potential return.

That collaboration, between USC’s Mike Bohn and UCLA’s Martin Jarmond, appears to have successfully cleared the way for both schools to soon return to football practice in Los Angeles — perhaps the last major hurdle remaining in the Pac-12’s path back to playing this fall.

A person with direct knowledge of the call said that neither state, nor L.A. County health officials would prevent the two schools from returning to full team, contact practices. State and local restrictions had previously limited the two programs, as well as Stanford and California, to only non-contact practice outside, in groups of 12 players or fewer.


The notion of clearing those bureaucratic hurdles in time to join the Big Ten Conference — the Pac-12’s companion in coronavirus caution — appeared no more than a pipe dream until late Wednesday. But in joining forces, Bohn and Jarmond appear to have helped steer the Pac-12 back on a path toward playing sometime this fall.

A vote on the conference's return could happen as soon as Friday, when the Pac-12 CEO group of presidents and chancellors is scheduled to meet, with football expected to be the main topic.

Urgency across the conference spiked early Wednesday, when the Big Ten announced it voted unanimously to reverse course and return for an eight-game schedule beginning on Oct. 24 weekend.

In response, Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott released a statement that summed up his league’s pandemic plight: “At this time, our universities in California and Oregon do not have approval from state or local public health officials to start contact practice. We are hopeful that our new daily testing capability can help satisfy public health official approvals in [those states] to begin contact practice and competition.”

Later Wednesday afternoon at a news briefing, Gov. Gavin Newsom addressed the state guidelines’ impact on the Pac-12, saying, “Now, this manifests very differently depending on the sport. Basketball, cohorting of up to 12, may be a little easier than football up to 12. But offensive teams, defensive teams are able to coordinate and practice, and the like. And so I want to make this crystal clear, nothing in the state guidelines deny the ability for the Pac-12 to resume. Quite the contrary. That has been a misrepresentation of the facts.”

Twenty-two players are needed on the field in close proximity to practice or play a football game. Newsom and Scott spoke Wednesday, and, according to a person with direct knowledge of the conversation, the governor told Scott he was committed to working through any issues relating to cohort size due in part to the efforts the Pac-12 had made to secure a daily antigen testing program.

Later, Charles Boyle, a spokesman for Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, sent a statement about the matter, saying, “Representatives from the University of Oregon and Oregon State University athletic departments met with the Oregon Health Authority this afternoon to discuss their COVID-19 health and safety plans for their football teams. The universities have asked for an exemption to OHA’s sports guidance, just as Oregon’s professional sports teams have been given. We have granted that request, and, under the new guidance, OHA must receive written plans for approval.

“Let me stress that, up to this point, we have received no written operating procedures for approval from the Pac-12 for the upcoming season under the new guidance, and we have no details from the conference about their new rapid testing proposal. Until we have those details, we can’t move forward in the process.”

By day’s end, Scott was confident enough in what he heard from the governors to issue a fresh statement, oozing with optimism.

“The Pac-12 welcomes today’s statements … that state public health officials will allow for contact practice and return to competition, and that there are no state restrictions on our ability to play sports in light of our adherence to strict health and safety protocols and stringent testing requirements,” Scott said.


“We appreciate Governor Newsom and Governor Brown’s support, the former of which is consistent with the very productive conversation that he and I had earlier today. Our California and Oregon universities will now each individually and immediately reach out to their relevant county public health officials to seek clarification on what is required to achieve the same clearance to resume contact practice and competition.”
For the conference to start its season in the range of the Big Ten’s new start date, which would allow its teams to have a chance to compete for the College Football Playoff, the belief was that schools in California and Oregon would have to hit the turbo button on preparation.
As it turned out, both already had their fingers over that button.
Like the Big Ten, the Pac-12 has vastly improved its testing capacity, through a deal with Quidel Corp., that could be in place by the end of September. But that doesn’t change the reality that many players across the league have not been a part of an actual football practice in months.
“Have not seen my locker or helmet since March — with all due respect,” USC offensive lineman Jalen McKenzie said on Twitter, in response to a linked article about Newsom’s Wednesday comments.
On Tuesday, with buzz building for a Big Ten reboot, USC players penned a letter to Newsom, saying, “Let’s find a way to say, ‘yes!’ Please let us play.” Newsom reached out to USC officials Wednesday in response, according to a person with direct knowledge of the conversation.
While the Pac-12 supporters will have to wait for more clarity on their fall football prognosis in the coming days, college football-starved fans in Big Ten country celebrated joining the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12 Conference and Southeastern Conference in planning to play.
The Big Ten presidents cited three factors in their turnabout from their Aug. 11 decision to postpone:
Players and staff will now be able to undergo daily antigen testing, with results completed and recorded prior to each practice and game. Anyone who tests positive will be subject to in-depth cardiac examination to detect myocarditis, inflammation of the heart that has been linked to having COVID-19. The league also established data thresholds for when to shut down competition, determined by team positivity rate (greater than 5%) and population positivity rate (greater than 7.5%) based on a seven-day rolling average.
If a team hits both of those thresholds, it will have to shut down for at least a week. Players who test positive will have to sit out for a minimum of three weeks.
The Big Ten will release its schedule later this week. With the Oct. 24 start, the league left itself little margin for error in keeping the virus from wreaking havoc on the season by having no built-in bye weeks on the road to championship weekend Dec. 19. The Big Ten is hopeful that its daily testing capability will squash the potential for outbreaks within each program.

 

[RegentDenali]

Sounds promising. Also heard the MWC is actively looking to restart a plan similar to the Big10 with a 8 game season starting in later Oct, although UofHawaii might have serious issues being involved. They had a massive covid surge occur in August and are back to a phase 1 type lockdown for weeks now.

 

[Duckboy33]

Sounds promising. Also heard the MWC is actively looking to restart a plan similar to the Big10 with a 8 game season starting in later Oct, although UofHawaii might have serious issues being involved. They had a massive covid surge occur in August and are back to a phase 1 type lockdown for weeks now.

I saw on twitter that there's issues with Hawaii and Fresno State. Air Force also wants to make sure they play Army and Navy so the MWC has to figure that out

 

[RegentDenali]

 

[LawDawg]

We're Baaaack....... Seems Governor Moonbeam Jr. backed off...

The day began with the Pac-12 standing alone, the lone Power Five conference still sticking by its decision to sit out the fall football season.

But after all of twists and turns on a wild day, after the hand-wringing and conflicting statements and political posturing, the athletic directors from USC and UCLA sat on a Zoom call together with Los Angeles County health officials on Wednesday night, determined not to let their shared city be the last remaining roadblock in the Pac-12’s potential return.

That collaboration, between USC’s Mike Bohn and UCLA’s Martin Jarmond, appears to have successfully cleared the way for both schools to soon return to football practice in Los Angeles — perhaps the last major hurdle remaining in the Pac-12’s path back to playing this fall.

A person with direct knowledge of the call said that neither state, nor L.A. County health officials would prevent the two schools from returning to full team, contact practices. State and local restrictions had previously limited the two programs, as well as Stanford and California, to only non-contact practice outside, in groups of 12 players or fewer.


The notion of clearing those bureaucratic hurdles in time to join the Big Ten Conference — the Pac-12’s companion in coronavirus caution — appeared no more than a pipe dream until late Wednesday. But in joining forces, Bohn and Jarmond appear to have helped steer the Pac-12 back on a path toward playing sometime this fall.

A vote on the conference's return could happen as soon as Friday, when the Pac-12 CEO group of presidents and chancellors is scheduled to meet, with football expected to be the main topic.

Urgency across the conference spiked early Wednesday, when the Big Ten announced it voted unanimously to reverse course and return for an eight-game schedule beginning on Oct. 24 weekend.

In response, Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott released a statement that summed up his league’s pandemic plight: “At this time, our universities in California and Oregon do not have approval from state or local public health officials to start contact practice. We are hopeful that our new daily testing capability can help satisfy public health official approvals in [those states] to begin contact practice and competition.”

Later Wednesday afternoon at a news briefing, Gov. Gavin Newsom addressed the state guidelines’ impact on the Pac-12, saying, “Now, this manifests very differently depending on the sport. Basketball, cohorting of up to 12, may be a little easier than football up to 12. But offensive teams, defensive teams are able to coordinate and practice, and the like. And so I want to make this crystal clear, nothing in the state guidelines deny the ability for the Pac-12 to resume. Quite the contrary. That has been a misrepresentation of the facts.”

Twenty-two players are needed on the field in close proximity to practice or play a football game. Newsom and Scott spoke Wednesday, and, according to a person with direct knowledge of the conversation, the governor told Scott he was committed to working through any issues relating to cohort size due in part to the efforts the Pac-12 had made to secure a daily antigen testing program.

Later, Charles Boyle, a spokesman for Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, sent a statement about the matter, saying, “Representatives from the University of Oregon and Oregon State University athletic departments met with the Oregon Health Authority this afternoon to discuss their COVID-19 health and safety plans for their football teams. The universities have asked for an exemption to OHA’s sports guidance, just as Oregon’s professional sports teams have been given. We have granted that request, and, under the new guidance, OHA must receive written plans for approval.

“Let me stress that, up to this point, we have received no written operating procedures for approval from the Pac-12 for the upcoming season under the new guidance, and we have no details from the conference about their new rapid testing proposal. Until we have those details, we can’t move forward in the process.”

By day’s end, Scott was confident enough in what he heard from the governors to issue a fresh statement, oozing with optimism.

“The Pac-12 welcomes today’s statements … that state public health officials will allow for contact practice and return to competition, and that there are no state restrictions on our ability to play sports in light of our adherence to strict health and safety protocols and stringent testing requirements,” Scott said.


“We appreciate Governor Newsom and Governor Brown’s support, the former of which is consistent with the very productive conversation that he and I had earlier today. Our California and Oregon universities will now each individually and immediately reach out to their relevant county public health officials to seek clarification on what is required to achieve the same clearance to resume contact practice and competition.”
For the conference to start its season in the range of the Big Ten’s new start date, which would allow its teams to have a chance to compete for the College Football Playoff, the belief was that schools in California and Oregon would have to hit the turbo button on preparation.
As it turned out, both already had their fingers over that button.
Like the Big Ten, the Pac-12 has vastly improved its testing capacity, through a deal with Quidel Corp., that could be in place by the end of September. But that doesn’t change the reality that many players across the league have not been a part of an actual football practice in months.
“Have not seen my locker or helmet since March — with all due respect,” USC offensive lineman Jalen McKenzie said on Twitter, in response to a linked article about Newsom’s Wednesday comments.
On Tuesday, with buzz building for a Big Ten reboot, USC players penned a letter to Newsom, saying, “Let’s find a way to say, ‘yes!’ Please let us play.” Newsom reached out to USC officials Wednesday in response, according to a person with direct knowledge of the conversation.
While the Pac-12 supporters will have to wait for more clarity on their fall football prognosis in the coming days, college football-starved fans in Big Ten country celebrated joining the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12 Conference and Southeastern Conference in planning to play.
The Big Ten presidents cited three factors in their turnabout from their Aug. 11 decision to postpone:
Players and staff will now be able to undergo daily antigen testing, with results completed and recorded prior to each practice and game. Anyone who tests positive will be subject to in-depth cardiac examination to detect myocarditis, inflammation of the heart that has been linked to having COVID-19. The league also established data thresholds for when to shut down competition, determined by team positivity rate (greater than 5%) and population positivity rate (greater than 7.5%) based on a seven-day rolling average.
If a team hits both of those thresholds, it will have to shut down for at least a week. Players who test positive will have to sit out for a minimum of three weeks.
The Big Ten will release its schedule later this week. With the Oct. 24 start, the league left itself little margin for error in keeping the virus from wreaking havoc on the season by having no built-in bye weeks on the road to championship weekend Dec. 19. The Big Ten is hopeful that its daily testing capability will squash the potential for outbreaks within each program.

Too little, too late. Even if you can start by Halloween, you can't play enough games to get into the CFP. Enjoy your 6 game season.

How does Larry Scott still have a job, ffs?

 

[trojanfan12]

Larry Scott was interviewed by Dan Patrick this morning. Looks like they are targeting the week after Halloween to start playing.

 

[BamaDude]

I saw on twitter that there's issues with Hawaii and Fresno State. Air Force also wants to make sure they play Army and Navy so the MWC has to figure that out

Air Force was already planning to buck the MWC's original plans by playing 3 games in the Fall, then waiting to see if there was gonna be a Spring season. I don't know if the conference is going to insist on a league-only schedule if they do, indeed, decide to play this Fall.

 

[BamaDude]

Too little, too late. Even if you can start by Halloween, you can't play enough games to get into the CFP. Enjoy your 6 game season.

How does Larry Scott still have a job, ffs?

The Pac-12 was already the P-5 league least likely to get a team into the playoff, so there's little change in that respect.

Larry Scott was interviewed by Dan Patrick this morning. Looks like they are targeting the week after Halloween to start playing.

Maybe the wildfires will be cleared up by then. At any rate, it will be more like an exhibition season for the Pac since it won't have any bearing on the playoffs. At least their players will get to play.

 

[Duckboy33]

The Pac-12 was already the P-5 league least likely to get a team into the playoff, so there's little change in that respect.



Maybe the wildfires will be cleared up by then. At any rate, it will be more like an exhibition season for the Pac since it won't have any bearing on the playoffs. At least their players will get to play.

Air quality is rapidly improving in Oregon. I’d be shocked if it’s a factor in October, especially late October

 

[michaeljordan_fan]

The Pac-12 was already the P-5 league least likely to get a team into the playoff, so there's little change in that respect.



Maybe the wildfires will be cleared up by then. At any rate, it will be more like an exhibition season for the Pac since it won't have any bearing on the playoffs. At least their players will get to play.

8-0 PAC team is likely in.

 

[TheLonestarDUCK]

8-0 PAC team is likely in.

Wait are you saying a team with only 8 conference games will get into the CFB Playoffs?

 

[RegentDenali]

Larry Scott was interviewed by Dan Patrick this morning. Looks like they are targeting the week after Halloween to start playing.

Yep. Heard that multiple Cali schools said anytime in Oct would be too soon to get ready.