Danes’ coach happy to have plan in place

Gattuso staying flexible with events often changing weekly

University at Albany football coach Greg Gattuso’s team is dormant right now with all athletic workouts put on pause because of a COVID-19 outbreak on campus.

Amid that inactivity, Gattuso did get news on Wednesday night that gave him more reason to be hopeful there will eventually be a season. The NCA A Division I council announced a spring schedule model for the Football Championship Subdivision.

The model allows teams to play up to eight regular-season games over a 13-week span, ending on April 17. The NCA A also proposed a 16-team playoff that would conclude on May 15 that must be approved by the board of directors on

Tuesday.

“I think from my standpoint, I’m just excited that we’re getting a model,” Gattuso said Thursday. “We’ve obviously been talking, the CA A, about all the different possibilities and it’s a good model. I think it’s as fair as can be possible and I think that we just want an opportunity to play. Our players and coaches and everybody is just really excited about seeing the NCA A OK the championship and the chance to go out and play football.”

The Colonial Athletic Association, which includes Ualbany among its 12 football members, canceled the fall schedule in July. But CA A commissioner Joe D’antonio said the league is looking at beginning its schedule in mid-to-late February.

“The model they’ve put in place with 13 weeks to play the eight games is definitely something that is manageable,” D’antonio said. “We’re all hoping from a (COVID) testing standpoint, things will get a little better in terms of improvement as it relates to cost. But definitely, I think it’s a model we can manage.”

The CA A is looking at several scheduling options for the spring, and D’antonio confirmed one is splitting the 12 teams into two geographical divisions (such as North and South) with a conference championship game. It was first reported by the

Daily News-record in Harrisburg, Va., which covers James Madison.

The CAA has used division play before, but never had

“It’s one option we’re looking at,” he said. “No final decision has been made.”

D’antonio said teams would likely only play opponents in their own division until the championship.

D’antonio said the advantages of a championship game are allowing athletes to play for

The downside, added

D’antonio, includes the expense and the possibility of a championship-game loss hurting a CA A team’s chances of an at-large bid.

With the FCS playoff field expected to be 16 teams, rather than the usual 24, Gattuso said the Great Danes will face a slimmer margin of error to reach the tournament for the second straight year.

“In our conference, you’re going to have to be in the top two to make the playoffs,’’ he said. “But it’s OK.”

Gattuso said he does like the concept of a conference championship game, something he’s seen work successfully in Football Bowl Subdivision leagues.

“I’m actually in favor of that every year,” Gattuso said. “I think when you play in a conference with 12 teams, a championship game guarantees that everybody’s kind of played each other to be crowned the champion, and I think that’s a good thing.”

The FCS model allows football teams to have fall-ball practices starting on Monday, but it’s unclear when Ualbany will start because of the COVID-19 cluster that has been traced in part back to athletics.

“There’s two big things I’ve learned,” he said. “One, the health and safety of the coaches and players and staff is paramount. Two, everything changes weekly. I don’t really put much thought in what’s next, except keep my guys doing well schoolwise and we just hope for the best in all regards.”