NORFOLK (WAVY) – Old Dominion officials were very happy on Monday when after 317 players, coaches and staff were tested for COVID-19, only seven tests came back positive.
But what does that mean in regards to Fall sports and ODU football this season?
As of today, Monarchs new football coach Ricky Rahne has his players on campus and is preparing to welcome Wake Forest to S.B. Ballard Stadium on September 4th.
ODU Athletic Director Wood Selig isn’t assuming anything yet and is prepared for several different scenarios.
“Our scenarios range from, do you push your Fall sports into the Spring so you don’t miss the season,” Selig said. “Do you put college basketball perhaps starting in January? The closer we get to when a vaccine maybe becomes available, the better off we are.”
The Big Ten for one, plans a conference only schedule for football. Several FCS conferences have cancelled its Fall sports seasons.
What might football look like at ODU if the Monarchs and Conference USA move ahead with a season?
“How do you park the cars, how do fans access the stadium, how do they leave the stadium? All those decisions have to be made,” Selig said. “Coach Rahne said that the football coaches spent 21 minutes deciding how to do the coin toss for social distancing purposes.”
While plans are being made for a season to be played, what has changed since the NCAA canceled all sports and colleges sent their students home in March?
“I don’t see anything that has really changed from mid-March to early April. If anything it has changed for the worse,” Selig said. “Are we any different now than we were in the Spring when we canceled everything?”
Selig said he expects a final decision on whether or not colleges will play football this Fall will come by August 4th.