The University of 海角换妻 has canceled its football team鈥檚 2020 season because of the risk of COVID-19.
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UConn coach Randy Edsall said he couldn鈥檛 get his players ready without jeopardizing their health. While he said no one has tested positive for the coronavirus, his staff has had to isolate some players who鈥檝e exhibited COVID-19 symptoms.
鈥淲e had 14 opportunities -- as of the end of last week -- to have our guys on the field and to work with them,鈥� Edsall said. 鈥淲e only had 30 percent of our players participate in those workouts.鈥�
It鈥檚 a move no other school in NCAA鈥檚 Football Bowl Subdivision, the top division in college football, has made.
UConn is in a unique position. Other programs affiliated with conferences will play only league rivals. That left UConn, which is independent, with half of its schedule in flux.
David Benedict, the school鈥檚 athletic director, said he still could have found opponents to fill out the schedule.
鈥淭he number of calls and emails and text messages that I鈥檝e received over the last couple of weeks inquiring about schools wanting to put together games, that would not have been a problem,鈥� Benedict said. 鈥淗owever, it would not have looked the same as our schedule did entering the season.鈥�
Citing player safety, coach Edsall said he鈥檇 have come to the same conclusion even if the school belonged to one of the major NCAA FBS conferences.
鈥淭hese young men鈥檚 lives are more important than money,鈥� Edsall said.
Senior offensive lineman Ryan Van Demark said he and his teammates support the decision.
鈥淭here are many health concerns, and not enough is known about the potential long-term effects of contracting COVID-19,鈥� said Van Demark. 鈥淎dditionally, we have not had optimal time to train mentally and physically to be properly prepared to compete this season.鈥�
Players like Van Demark will still be able to continue their academic careers, and they鈥檒l have access to school athletic facilities.
The cancellation happens as the school deals with the economic pains of the pandemic. UConn returned about $30 million to its students in unused room and board when they left campus to complete the spring semester online.
That鈥檚 on top of financial woes for the school鈥檚 athletic department, which earlier this year reported to the NCAA a deficit of $42.3 million and then cut four sports teams to save $10 million. The school鈥檚 struggling football team and its difficulties generating revenue contribute to those woes.
Benedict was asked during Tuesday鈥檚 call with reporters whether the athletic department would save money by not holding football this year.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 make this decision based on the finances of it,鈥� Benedict said.
There鈥檚 also the matter of contracts, according to Benedict, that need to be worked out without commitments being fulfilled -- like game agreements with other schools and a rental deal with the Capital Region Development Authority to use Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.
As for the fate of other UConn fall sports, Benedict said those athletes aren鈥檛 even on campus yet, and the earliest they鈥檇 play games would be October.
Many of those programs belong to the Big East conference. Members of that league will play only one another this fall in an effort to reduce travel and thus, mitigate student exposure to COVID-19.
