Several college football conferences, as well as a handful of individual schools, have already decided that fall sports don’t need to be considered this year. The Middle Atlantic Conference and the Big 10, among others, are canceling their programs, while others, such as the ACC and the SEC, still plan on pushing forward. Because of all the changes and how they impact players and games, the NCAA has been scrambling to address issues as they come up for consideration. The organization is hoping to make a few more adjustments, hoping to avoid any long-term fallout the ongoing coronavirus pandemic might have on future activity. 

The council leading NCAA’s Division I got together yesterday and determined that teams not playing this year should still lead exercise and training programs. They approved a 12-hour schedule for football teams, which includes continued strength and conditioning training, as well as five hours of on-field training with helmets, according to ESPN. Those five hours would be spent with athletes wearing helmets. 

In addition, athletes are going to be able to freeze their eligibility this fall, which means they won’t lose their statuses, even if they don’t play in any games. Any eligibility won’t be a factor in school transfers, as the current transfer rules are going to remain intact. A final decision on the rules will come when the Division I board of directors meets tomorrow afternoon.

The 12-hour rule is already in place, having been implemented on August 24. It will run until October 4, and the NCAA’s Football Oversight Committee (FOC) will revisit the situation in the coming weeks, making additional adjustments as required before submitting new proposals to the council when they meet again next month.