Part 2
Commissioner Larry Scott has been visible, but not overly so, and measured in his remarks.
The conference remained in lockstep with the Power Five until the Big Ten made lockstep impossible.
The revamped schedule (10 games in as many as 13 weeks) is reasonable and appears ready for immediate release .
Assuming presidential approval, the Pac-12 is positioned to present its week-by-week matchups before anyone else.
Meanwhile, across the country …
The ACC is hoping to play 11 games with the season starting the week of Sept. 7, and it’s still working on weekly matchups.
The SEC has not settled on its schedule model (conference only or conference-plus-one) and was, it seems, outmaneuvered by the ACC.
From the Big Ten? Silence on how many games, when they will start, who’s playing who, or even when the plan will be finalized. (Maybe today, maybe next week.)
The Big 12 is pondering four or five models while aiming to start (somehow) on time.
In comparison to its peers, the Pac-12 has appeared aligned internally, prepared for contingencies and reasonable in its expectations for competition.
How in the world did we get from there to here?
A few explanations come to mind:
• As we noted recently, the conference office has received high marks for its work supporting the schools as they navigate the coronavirus upheaval.
• The Pac-12 has had a medical advisory committee in place for years to assist with student-athlete welfare initiatives, expediting the process of adding experts in public health and virology.
• The trajectory of the virus might have helped, as well: California and Washington were the first states hit, prompting early lockdowns that cemented the authority of political and health officials, which, in turn, forced a rational approach to both safety and scheduling.
Considering the Covid-19 curve within the conference footprint and the looming arrival of students on campus for fall instruction, the likelihood of meeting the Sept. 19 start date seems remote.
But even if the conference is forced to delay into October — if it’s able ot play, of course — the Pac-12 got the concept right:
The longer you wait, the more flexibility you have, the better your chances.
It got the concept right, it did the homework, it pivoted swiftly, it followed the science, and it respected the reality of local conditions.
Add approval from the presidents, and the Pac-12 will have completed an impressive four months of pandemic management and maneuvering. – Jon Wilner
