Sun Belt, ASU plan 12-game schedule
Arkansas State University Chancellor Kelly Damphousse and Athletic Director Terry Mohajir often joke about the difference between human years, dog years and, now, covid-19 days.
Over the past five months, it seems as though Damphousse and Mohajir are given new information daily regarding the 2020-21 school year. Tuesday, some of the biggest news officially came to fruition: Arkansas State and the Sun Belt Conference intend to play a full 12-game football schedule starting on Labor Day weekend.
“The 2020 Sun Belt Conference football season will be comprised of an 8-conference game schedule with an option for each member to add as many as four non-conference opponents, beginning with Week Zero,” the conference said in a statement Tuesday. “The Sun Belt will host a football championship game on December 5 between the East Division and West Division champions. If necessary, the date of the championship game may be adjusted.”
Damphousse and Mohajir were both a part of the discussions and committees that formulated the plan.
“It was based on a thorough evaluation. We reviewed a lot of materials. We had a covid-19 task force that is comprised of infectious disease doctors, epidemiologists and MDs to help guide us through our decision-making process,” Mohajir said. “As you look at some of the other conferences around the country, why they’re making their decisions, you’ll have to
ask them. What are [the other conferences] going to know that’s different when [they] play two weeks after we play?”
The Sun Belt’s decision — along with Conference USA, which also intends to play 12 games — is currently rare in college football. None of the Power 5 conferences will play 12 games in 2020-21, with the SEC, Big Ten and Pac-12 opting for a 10-game conference-only schedule, and the ACC and Big 12 playing conference-only games with the option to play one non-conference game that must be instate or at home, respectively.
That leaves ASU with two open spots on its schedule for Sept. 12 and Sept. 19. ASU’s current nonconference games — at Memphis on Sept. 5 and against Tulsa on Sept. 26 — are still on the schedule. Mohajir said Arkansas State has “about five balls up in the air right now” in terms of options to fill its two open dates.
As far as fan attendance goes, Mohajir said he expects the suites to be at full capacity, but he is unsure what the rest of Centennial Bank Stadium will look like.
“Our continuity plan is a living, breathing document,” Mohajir said. “What we had on there a month ago may be adjusted today. So we’re working through it.”
For Damphousse, his mind is elsewhere.
Classes start Aug. 25 and, right now, ASU is planning to have students on campus. This has led to the reconfigurations of classrooms, including turning gymnasiums into lecture halls, and a campus-wide mask mandate for students and faculty.
“Athletics, while it’s something I can pay attention to, it’s pretty low down on the totem pole on the things I’m concerned about. The No. 1 concern is the health and safety of our students on one hand, and our faculty and staff in addition to that,” he said. “I can’t allow myself to worry about how much is this going to cost the university if I make this decision or that decision? The orientation has to always be about safety. But there’s no secret here that not having sports on campus would have an impact, especially football because football is a revenue-generating sport.
“But if we can’t do it safely for our students and our coaches and our staff, then we won’t do it. And we’ll deal with the financial consequences as we move forward.”
ASU will proceed as if it will play a regular college football season. Players officially report for camp Thursday and practice Friday. The Red Wolves will kick off their season Sept. 5 at Memphis.
Mohajir said he is hopeful all of that will happen.
“When I follow the science and I look at what’s happening on our own campus, the way that we are structuring our safety and health guidelines, I feel very confident,” he said. “Where this thing could get really crazy is when some of the accountability has to be on the student itself and the player itself.
“If they’re staying within the confines, they’re doing what they’re supposed to be doing — social distancing, washing their hands, being careful, being mindful, being respectful of each other’s space — then I think we can have a season. If you have a willy-nilly approach and you’re not being mindful of all the things I just said, then it could be a little bit more challenging.”
After the Sun Belt’s announcement Tuesday, Mohajir spent most of his day with the football team, observing players go through workouts and walk-throughs. He was pleased with what he saw and hopes other schools around the country are doing the same.
Because if they’re not, it won’t just be Arkansas State that suffers.
“They were phenomenal, outstanding. They were social distancing, the players and coaches were masked up. It was great,” Mohajir said. “And that’s how we’re going to preserve the football season.”