Rumors College Football Season Could Be Canceled Has South Florida Athletes Bracing For What's Next
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – With rumors swirling that the fall college football season will be canceled, South Florida athletes are bracing for what's next.
Last week, the University of Miami Hurricanes were busy working out and preparing for a slightly shorter season.
But with the pandemic raging across America and fears of student athletes catching and spreading the virus, there are indications that the governing bodies of the college football teams are leaning towards pulling the plug on the fall college season.
Reaction on social media has been strong.
One athlete tweeted, "We all want to play football this season. Establish universal mandated health and safety procedures."
"It's going to create a logjam for the players, especially on the college level," said South Florida high school football recruiter Larry Blustein. "The students may play an extra year."
Blustein said that logjam will affect high school football players as they begin their college careers.
"A lot of people don't agree with canceling the season. They think it's going too far. I'm not one of them," he said. "But it can't be stated enough that South Florida is the epicenter of sports careers. More college and NFL players have gotten their start in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties than anywhere else in the country."
On the upside, Blustein believes high school football teams in South Florida will have a season early next year.
"It could begin in January and end in March," he said.
Cancellation of college football will have tremendous economic consequences for South Florida.
The Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens hosts the Hurricanes for their games and the stadium was to be the location of two major college football events, including the Orange Bowl next January.
All that is on hold.
