Penn State opened last year's fall training camp on Aug. 2, 2019, 29 days before their season opener against Idaho. If the coronavirus doesn't wipe out the 2020 season, the Nittany Lions need 60 days to prepare, said athletics director Sandy Barbour on Thursday.
"Penn State vice president of Intercollegiate Athletics Sandy Barbour says she thinks the football program (and probably other sports too) would need 60 days to ramp up for a season," tweeted Greg Pickel of PennLive.com.
There wasn't elaboration—and Penn State didn't immediately respond to a request for comment—therefore we're left wondering what "ramp up for a season" means. Can any of that be done while campus is closed? Is that strictly on-the-field work? Does that include pre-camp medical checks, meetings, training, and other items?
On March 18, Penn State extended online courses for the remainder of the spring semester but has not followed other schools in extending online courses throughout the summer terms. If campus remains closed throughout the summer, meaning football student-athletes couldn't "ramp up" for the season, the season wouldn't begin as scheduled on Sept. 5. Sixty days prior to Sept. 5 is July 7, or several weeks before summer classes end in August.
