Recapping The "Moving Forward With Football" Webinar
In case you missed it, the Middle Tennessee Athletic department held a webinar/Zoom meeting in order to fill fans, media and donors on their plans for the upcoming 2020 football season during COVID-19 containment. The meeting was hosted by Chip Walters and included AD Chris Massaro and Coach Stockstill.
Below I will talk about some of the highlights of the meeting:
I asked Coach Stockstill directly whether or not his annual football camps will be taking place this summer. His response: “not possible in June due to NCAA rules.” The NCAA has extended the recruiting dead period until June 31st and prospects are not allowed to visit campus. He went on to say it may technically be possible in July. “However, I don’t want to risk our program by bringing 200-300 visitors to campus.” He said an official decision has not been made but he clearly felt there will not be football camps this summer.
We know camps are crucial to the evaluation of potential football prospects. To offset the loss, Stockstill advised that he's watched more prospect film this year than at any point in his career.
AD Chris Massaro said the athletic department is operating as if there is no change to the football schedule. They will be ready to travel to Durham, NC on September 5th - to play Duke - and will have the ability to adjust on the fly if necessary. He advised that if any changes are made, he feels it is most likely to involve non-conference games in which schools might have to travel long distances. He said those games are currently "up in the air," and, in the event any of those games are cancelled, he has been on the phone with each athletic director for schools in the "Nashville area" in order to be the "first call" if any school needs to fill a hole on the schedule.
MTSU's big "pay" game is in November when they are scheduled to travel to Storrs, CT to play UCONN. Massaro said he is optimistic that game will be played because it is late in the season. He said he is hopeful by that point we'll have a vaccine or better testing procedures in order to be able to play.
We've seen colleges be forced to cut specific sports programs in order to survive the pandemic. When asked, Massaro said that is a "last resort" and he does not see it in the immediate future for any MTSU program.
On the season ticket sales front, Massaro admitted they are behind where they were last year and that uncertainty in regards to whether or not fans will be able to attend - or whether games will be played at all - has driven down demand. He said they have sold about 150 less than they sold to this point last year.
Both Stockstill and Massaro are hopeful student athletes will be able to return to campus next month. Both said they feel it is in the best interest for the athletes to be back in Murfreesboro where their health can be monitored by university trainers and doctors. June 1st and June 15th are target dates. Stockstill said as long as athletes are on campus by mid-July, he feels comfortable they can be ready for the start of the season.
On the recruiting front, Stockstill advised there are two scholarships still open from the 2020 class. We know one of those spots is taken by recent Purdue transfer CB Kenneth Major, however, Stockstill cannot comment on any player not currently signed and enrolled. He went on to say the football staff is scouring the transfer portal to fill the last spot.