SEC football fans got some overwhelmingly positive news from the conference Friday.
The Southeastern Conference announced athletes can return to their respective campuses June 8 for voluntary activities, under the discretion of each individual university's leadership. The NCAA voted earlier this week to allow players to return June 1.
The news was a result of a vote on the matter by SEC leadership from each school.
"As always, the health and well-being of our student-athletes and the Auburn family remains our highest priority," Auburn athletic director Allen Greene said in a statement. "We support the SEC presidents and chancellors' decision to reopen our facilities for voluntary in-person athletic activities. Through extensive collaboration, campus colleagues have developed plans to safely manage the return of our student-athletes.
"To build on this momentum, it is imperative that we proceed with a great deal of discipline and flexibility, with the end goal of conducting fall activities as previously scheduled."
What are those measures being put in place for the safety of student athletes? From the SEC's release Friday, which gathered guidelines from its in-house COVID-19 task force, each school will abide by the following:
• Enhanced education of all team members on health and wellness best practices, including but not limited to preventing the spread of COVID-19
• A 3-stage screening process that involves screening before student-athletes arrive on campus, within 72 hours of entering athletics facilities and on a daily basis upon resumption of athletics activities
• Testing of symptomatic team members (including all student-athletes, coaches, team support and other appropriate individuals)
• Immediate isolation of team members who are under investigation or diagnosed with COVID-19 followed by contact tracing, following CDC and local public health guidelines
• A transition period that allows student-athletes to gradually adapt to full training and sport activity following a period of inactivity
Coaches are not permitted to be involved with the voluntary workouts at team facilities, with the exception of strength and conditioning staff. Position coaches and coordinators are still allowed eight hours a week of virtual instruction through June 30.
"This is an important first step toward having a season this fall, and we will continue to collectively work together as our top priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of our student-athletes, coaches and staff," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said in a statement.
The hope is that a conference-wide return to some semblance of football operations will ultimately result in normal, hands-on, full-team practices later this summer to prepare for an on-schedule 2020 college football season.
COVID-19 has been nothing if not unpredictable over the past few months. But at least now, hope has been conjoined with concrete plans voted on and processed by conference leadership.
"The safe and healthy return of our student-athletes, coaches, administrators and our greater university communities have been and will continue to serve as our guiding principle as we navigate this complex and constantly-evolving situation," SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in the release. "At this time, we are preparing to begin the fall sports season as currently scheduled, and this limited resumption of voluntary athletic activities on June 8 is an important initial step in that process.
"Thanks to the blueprint established by our Task Force and the dedicated efforts of our universities and their athletics programs, we will be able to provide our student-athletes with far better health and wellness education, medical and psychological care and supervision than they would otherwise receive on their own while off campus or training at public facilities as states continue to reopen."
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