Uncertainty still looms over the Virginia football program with no official decision from the Atlantic Coastal Conference (ACC) about the fastly-approaching 2020 fall season.
Just like many other Division 1 football teams, Virginia is waiting for a decision on whether a modified season will be played as athletic directors, school presidents and chancellors and the league continue discussions.
“I have not been told yet where the ACC currently stands,” head coach Bronco Mendenhall said in audio of a zoom call with media obtained by The Virginia Star. “Carla lets me know when there’s discussions and gives me an idea sometimes of what athletic directors and other leagues are thinking as well.”
Mendenhall continued to discuss the current unpredictability of college football.
“[The situation] changes so quickly and so rapidly. I wouldn’t be surprised to have decisions made today, tomorrow, next week in relation to where we stand.”
There are some signs that the ACC will decide move forward with the season, however.
According to Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports, an ACC official said that the conference plans on playing football in the fall.
“We are trying to move forward [with playing] absolutely,” the official told Dodd. “I don’t know if there is a drop dead time period [to decide]. We don’t start play until Sept. 12 as a league.”
No official decision has been announced as of Tuesday afternoon.
In his zoom call with media, Mendenhall took a straight forward, realistic approach to the situation. He stressed that health and safety comes before football, while also identifying the challenges that will occur once regular students return to campus for classes and the players return to their more normal daily routines.
Another key point for Mendenhall was the team’s mental health. Mendenhall emphasized that the players mental health has risen to the forefront of things he is managing during this period filled with uncertainty and many outside distractions.
Virginia State Senator Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax), who has followed the Cavaliers for over 30 years, believes the team should play football this year while giving players who do not want to play the choice opt out of the season without losing their scholarships.
“If it’s possible I’d like to see them play, sure,” Petersen said in an interview with The Star.
The presidents and chancellors of the league are expected to meet on Wednesday to discuss the options, according to ESPN.
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Jacob Taylor is a reporter at The Virginia Star. Follow Jacob on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “University of Virginia Football Players Taking the Field” by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. CC BY 2.0.
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