Kirk Herbstreit is confused as to what’s going on in the Big Ten conference
The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown everyone for a loop and put sports on hold for a solid three months while leagues tried to figure out the best way to safely carry out a season.
It didn’t seem like college football being played was even going to be an option this fall due to how easily the virus has spread, but a split in thinking has led to several conferences moving forward with plans to play.
The Big Ten, however, will not be kicking off, as new commissioner Kevin Warren made the decision not to play this fall and will potentially wait until the spring. That was the original plan, anyway.
Now, the conference is eyeing a start date that would come after Thanksgiving, which doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.
Kirk Herbstreit, who played in the Big Ten at Ohio State, is really confused as to what’s going on in the conference.
Herbstreit made his thoughts known on the ESPN College Football Podcast.
“I don’t know what the hell is going on. I don’t think anybody does. We’ve heard this rumor that they might play at Thanksgiving. I don’t get it. Why not play right now if you’re going to play at Thanksgiving?”
Herbstreit makes a valid point here. It’s doubtful that the virus will be gone by Thanksgiving, if anything it has a chance to be much worse due to the colder weather, so why eye that start date? It seems counter-productive, and makes no one happy.
Something Herbstreit mentioned was that if the players want to suit up and play, then it shouldn’t have been up to Warren and the University Presidents to speak for them.
“If you’re okay with that and there are enough who want to play and coach on each team, we’ll go play … You’re getting a lot of that hashtag We Want To Play. Why wouldn’t you green light and go ahead and play if the players are willing to play? Why wouldn’t you do that?” Herbstreit asked.
It’s a good question. The Big Ten is trying to protect its student athletes and coaches from any potential outbreaks, but playing in late November isn’t a viable plan, either.
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