Proposal by NCAA would give college football teams extra practice time

It is becoming apparent with every passing day everyone is pushing full speed ahead towards football as the NCAA is proposing starting with coaches the second week of July.

It’s not really where it should be, but it is a step forward, according to published reports.

Last week, Hogs coach Sam Pittman hinted at this but didn’t let any details get out but now his comments have some additional context.

“We’ve talked about it and we’re prepared for it,” Pittman said. “It just depends on what the hours situation is.”

Since spring training was disrupted so drastically with many teams not getting a single practice this is a critical window.

“We need on-the-field movement,” he added.

The story was first reported at Sports Illustrated on Monday.

Under the proposal, expected to be approved by a vote from the D-I Council on June 17, would let football coaches begin interacting with their players as soon as the second week of July and by mid-July, conducting walk-through practices with a ball.

That probably should be backed up to the first of June but the NCAA has never exactly moved fast with a lot of forethought.

A draft of the plan below has been circulated to conference offices and athletic departments for feedback.

Apparently, though, the vote is going to be a mere formality, according to the story:

“We’re 90% there,” Shane Lyons, the West Virginia athletic director and chair of the Oversight Committee, told Sports Illustrated in an interview Monday.

Here is the summary of the proposal:

• Voluntary workouts: June 1-25 (virtual instruction 8 hours per week)

• Mandatory workouts: July 13, 25 days before first permissible preseason practice date

• Walk-throughs and meetings: July 24, 14 days before first preseason practice date (8 hours weight training, 6 hours walk-through with football, 6 hours for meetings)

• Preseason practices: Aug. 7, 29 days before first game (20 hours per week)