When Gene Smith formerly held a teleconference with press reporters on May 20, the Ohio State athletic director stated he was “meticulously optimistic” that the countrys battle with the COVID-19 pandemic would get to a point that ultimately, Ohio State and other college football groups around the country would be able to play their seasons as arranged this fall.
Gene Smith (@OSU_AD) is an optimistic male. He wasnt so positive today.
He joins @BTNDaveRevsine to talk about his concern that there may not be a football season. pic.twitter.com/aUn7kt4QiK
In a teleconference with reporters on Thursday just minutes after the Big Ten announced that its fall sports teams would not play any non-conference video games this upcoming season, Smith made it clear he no longer had the same level of self-confidence about Ohio State playing any football this season at all.
Later on Thursday afternoon, during an interview with BTN, Smith was even more blunt about the reality that Ohio States 2020 football season remains in severe jeopardy.
” Im truly worried. That is the question of the day. I am extremely worried,” Smith stated. “I was cautiously positive. Im not even there now.”
” I cant reiterate enough the truth that we might not play,” Smith stated. “We simply may not. And I think that individuals need to comprehend that.”
Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) July 9, 2020
Like football coach Ryan Day likewise did on Thursday, Smith made a plea for individuals around the country to do their part and follow recommended protocols to restrict the spread of COVID-19, which he believes have not been taken seriously enough throughout the United States.
” I cant repeat enough the fact that we may not play. We simply might not. And I believe that individuals require to understand that.”– Gene Smith on the possibility of a canceled football season
Eventually, Smith states Ohio State will prioritize the health and safety of its student-athletes above all else, which indicates COVID-19 must begin to be consisted of if the Buckeyes are going to play sports this fall.
” When you look at the habits of our country and you think about that in May, we were on a down trajectory with cases and our healthcare facilities were producing opportunities for individuals to come back and get the care that they needed beyond COVID and optional surgical treatments and things of that nature, and now, were if not the worst worldwide, one of the worst in the world,” Smith stated. “So Im worried about where we are simply across the board relative to management of the pandemic as people.
Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren used a similar sentiment on Thursday, stating that the conference is depending on its Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases along with medical specialists from each Big Ten school, however that progress needs to be produced fall sports to gain ground even with conference-only schedules.
” First and foremost, were gon na follow the lead of our medical professionals. Their suggestions has actually been great for us as we move through this procedure,” Smith stated. “So well just need to wait and see how our various environments handle the pandemic, and take their guidance as we move on.”
” We made a vow early on that, initially and foremost, we would put the health, the safety and the health of our student-athletes at the center of all of our decisions.”
Kevin Warren talks the timing of the @bigtens choice, and what comes next. pic.twitter.com/D0Y4GXXnAz
” This is not a fait accompli that were going to have sports in the fall,” Warren stated throughout an interview on BTN. “We might not have sports in the fall. We may not have a college football season.”
And we just didnt react to opportunities that were offered to us. People require to follow the protocols and provide our kids a possibility to compete.”
Smiths subsiding optimism about Ohio State playing football this fall comes as the outcome of continuing spikes in COVID-19 cases around the country. As of Wednesday, everyday COVID-19 cases had actually increased over the past 2 weeks in 45 states, whereas the number of reported cases was reducing in numerous states 2 months earlier. Ohio State has likewise seen the variety of favorable COVID-19 cases increase within its own professional athlete population, which led OSU to stop briefly voluntary exercises for athletes on Wednesday.
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) July 9, 2020
Smith also stated he does not understand when Ohio State will be able to resume full-team practices, though the NCAA has actually told football teams they need to be able to practice for at least 4 weeks before their first video game. The NCAAs Division I Council has authorized a preseason practice strategy for college football groups playing their very first games on Sept. 5 to begin walk-through practices on July 24, but it has yet to be figured out when the Big Tens conference football schedule will begin if the season is permitted to continue forward.
” You actually have to go day-by-day, week-by-week,” Smith said when asked if he believed Ohio State might still possibly start practices on July 24. “So we got ta see where things go next week throughout the country and locally, and then we need to decide on what week were gon na start relative to contests. So theres a couple variables in there, however its too difficult for me to hypothesize at this moment in time.”
Warren stated the Big Ten is presently dealing with establishing uniform screening procedures for the conference, but Smith said he did not understand whether there would be a variety of positive COVID-19 tests that would eventually be acceptable for teams to still play video games this fall.
RELATED Ohio States Gene Smith: Flexibility To Shift Games Was “Biggest Thing” In Big Ten Implementing Conference-Only Schedule
Now, however, Smith states thats no longer something hes worried about. Hes just worried about whether or not Ohio State will be able to play regular-season video games, not if the College Football Playoff or other postseason competitors will continue as scheduled.
Back in May, Smith said he hoped there would be nationwide guidelines in location to make sure competitive equity among conferences in concerns to receiving postseason competitors.
” I just want to offer our kids a chance to play,” Smith said. “So Im more concerned about the regular season right now. Right now, I would enjoy to have Wyatt Davis and Josh Myers to have an opportunity to have a season.
Associated Ohio State Offensive Linemen Josh Myers and Wyatt Davis “Would Do Anything” to Play Football This Season
” Two months back, I was very carefully positive. Ive lost that. So to me, if we have fans in the stands, it will be CDC guidelines and well just need to figure out what those numbers are. A lot less than what I thought,” Smith said. “I wish to repeat: If we have fans in the stands. I desire everybody to be sensible here. Since thats a genuine issue.”
” Obviously we need the virus to be handled in a different way than it is now,” Smith stated. “So we simply have to see and wait and identify if we can really hold practice and eventually contests the method we need to secure kids.”
” I cant restate enough the reality that we might not play,” Smith stated. Smiths subsiding optimism about Ohio State playing football this fall comes as the outcome of continuing spikes in COVID-19 cases around the nation.– Gene Smith on the possibility of a canceled football season
Ohio State and the rest of the Big Ten are still wanting to play football this fall, which is why they decided to concentrate on conference video games just, which might be more workable than playing opponents from all over the nation whose conferences might have different procedures. Its why the Big Ten hasnt yet talked in fantastic detail about the possibility of moving football season to spring, Smith stated, as the conference is focusing on attempting to make a fall season happen.
Realistically, though, theres a lot that still needs to happen over the next two months to get to a point where Ohio State and the rest of the Big Ten will feel comfy continuing forward with fall sports. Thursdays announcement was not a verification that the Big Ten will play with a customized schedule this fall, but an action that Smith and other conference leaders hope will eventually allow them to do so.
If CDC guidelines on physical distancing were relaxed, Smith had also revealed hope in May that Ohio Stadium could host as numerous as 40,000 to 50,000 fans for football video games this fall. At this point, however, Smith acknowledges that is no longer a sensible expectation which Ohio State– now targeting a capability of around 20,000 fans for football games, if that– will be fortunate if its able to host any number of fans at games.
” You actually have to go day-by-day, week-by-week,” Smith said when asked if he believed Ohio State could still potentially start practices on July 24.” I simply desire to provide our kids a chance to play,” Smith stated.
