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Jim Harbaugh tells Michigan football the Big Ten could potentially play in October

Orion Sang, Detroit Free Press
·4 min read

Before Michigan football practiced Wednesday, head coach Jim Harbaugh gathered the team to deliver a message.

The Wolverines, Harbaugh said, could potentially begin play in October.

"Coach Harbaugh did say we could possibly play in October," said offensive tackle Ryan Hayes during a video call with reporters Thursday. "Just to give us a little motivation, just to keep practicing hard, we’re going to be prepared. We have mentioned October but nothing’s for sure.”

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As the potential return date of college football remains uncertain, the October date has been the latest rumor after another whirlwind week. Sports radio host Dan Patrick reported Tuesday the Big Ten was targeting a mid-October start date, writing, "If conference can pass updated safety measures and procedures, Big Ten targeting Oct. 10 to start football season.”

That same day, President Donald Trump tweeted he "had a very productive conversation" with Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren "about immediately starting up Big Ten football."

"Would be good (great!) for everyone — Players, Fans, Country," Trump wrote. "On the one yard line!"

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Later that afternoon, the Big Ten released a statement confirming the conversation took place.

"A White House representative reached out to Big Ten Conference commissioner Kevin Warren on Monday, August 31, 2020 to facilitate a phone call between President Donald J. Trump and Commissioner Warren," the Big Ten said. "On Tuesday, September 1, 2020, Commissioner Warren and the President had a productive conversation.

"The Big Ten Conference and its Return to Competition Task Force, on behalf of the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors (COP/C), are exhausting every resource to help student athletes get back to playing the sports they love, at the appropriate time, in the safest and healthiest way possible."

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Still, the possibility of an October start date seems far-fetched, even as recent rapid testing methods have been developed and implemented. Iowa paused all athletic workouts this week after testing revealed an outbreak among student-athletes. Penn State's director of athletic medicine, Wayne Sebastianelli, said Thursday cardiac MRI scans detected myocarditis, a potentially fatal heart condition, within 30-35% of Big Ten athletes who had tested positive for COVID-19.

When asked about the possibility of the Big Ten reversing course on its decision and re-starting play in October, university power brokers scoffed.

“Laughable,” one source told the Free Press on condition of anonymity.

“F--- no,” another said.

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Meanwhile, court documents filed in Nebraska this week revealed 11 of the Big Ten's 14 member schools voted in August in favor of the fall sports postponement due to the potential liability of playing football, the medical risks and concerns about the nature of COVID-19. The Big Ten was the first Power 5 conference to postpone college football, with the Pac-12 following suit shortly after; the SEC, Big 12 and ACC all plan to play.

For now, Michigan and most other Big Ten teams have continued to practice under the 12-hour limit imposed by the NCAA.

“So lately, we’ve just been training for the combine," Hayes said. "Our coaches haven’t really told us much because I don’t think they know either."

What would Hayes think if Michigan does play in October?

“If we can play as soon as possible, I’m in," he said. "We haven’t really stopped practicing, we all feel prepared and we’re ready to go.”

Contact Orion Sang at osang@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @orion_sang. Read more on the Michigan Wolverines and sign up for our Wolverines newsletter. The Free Press has started a new digital subscription model. Here's how you can gain access to our most exclusive Michigan Wolverines content.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Jim Harbaugh to Michigan football: Big Ten might play in October