Michigan Fans Aren't Going to Like What Their President Said Today
By Michael Luciano
Michigan football being played in front of 100,000 fans at The Big House decked out in maize and blue is one of the fall's greatest annual traditions. However, the coronavirus pandemic threatens to severely delay the start to the season, and the administration has doubts over if the season will start on time.
Michigan president Mark Schlissel said that Michigan will not have a football season this fall unless all students are back on campus, and he has "some degree of doubt" as it pertains to any sort of college athletics in the fall. Woof.
Michigan Pres. Mark Schlissel tells @WSJ, UM won’t have a football season this fall unless all students back on campus for classes & he has “some degree of doubt as to whether there will be college athletics [anywhere], at least in the fall.”
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) May 24, 2020
Schlissel's desire to completely hold off on football until safety is guaranteed is different than the stance the SEC is taking, as they will once again allow in-person workouts starting June 8.
While head coach Jim Harbaugh has said he is more than willing to play games in empty stadiums, it sounds like Schlissel wants fans in the stands, and realizing that dream might not be possible in 2020.
He saw that Ohio State is still on the schedule.
— Brian Battle (@25LightFighter) May 24, 2020
If there will be college football in Ann Arbor, Schlissel wants to make sure that attending a Michigan game will not pose any risk of infection to any Michigan fans. As disappointing as it may sound for Wolverines fans, it's not surprising to hear a university president take this stance.