*UPDATE: PAC 12 joins Big Ten in suspending their season*
The Big Ten officially becomes the first Power Five Conference to suspend fall sports, but many prominent college football players and coaches are pushing back against the decision.
Tiger Rag Editor Ron Higgins says the vocal #WeWantToPlay campaign is placing a lot of pressure on schools not to cancel the season.
“Especially when you have players come out and say it, it means a lot. A lot of these players understand the risk of this,” says Higgins.
Joe Burrow tweeted that had the pandemic hit a year ago, and last year’s season had been canceled, he may have been looking for a job right now. Burrow was considered a late-round pick heading into the 2019 season.
Higgins says it makes sense that so many prominent players are joining the public effort, considering they could lose a lot of money should the season get canceled or delayed to spring.
“They come from situations where a lot of them, financially, are in dire straits, and their households back in their towns are struggling so they want to get to the NFL as quick as they can,” says Higgins.
The SEC met yesterday, but Commissioner Greg Sankey says no decision on a possible cancellation is imminent.
The public #WeWantToPlay blitz was first spearheaded by Clemson’s star QB Trevor Lawrence. Higgins says it will be hard for administrators to ignore players like that.
“He was one of the loudest voices of this thing that the players want to play, he is one of the leaders of this thing he is somebody who if they shut college football down tomorrow he wouldn’t be hurt at all, but he’s leading this charge,” says Higgins.
Some prominent SEC figures who’ve backed the campaign include Bama’s Nick Saban, Florida coach Dan Mullen, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, and Bama running back and Heisman contender Najee Harris.
Comments