SEC commissioner Greg Sankey had his say. Then ACC commissioner John Swofford had his. Now NCAA president Mark Emmert is getting in line to have his concern over the idea of Michigan taking spring football practices on the road over spring break.
The NCAA will reportedly discuss during an April meeting to address possible cutting back on time spent on athletics, which would potentially lead to the thought of meaning student-athletes get spring break off. This, of course, has been the subject of concern for the SEC’s request to the NCAA following the news Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh planned to take his program to Florida for spring football practices over Michigan’s spring break.
NCAA prez Mark Emmert says NCAA will have April meeting focused on cutting back on time spent on athletics. Emmert believes it's too much
— Josh Kendall (@JoshTheAthletic) February 19, 2016
NCAA prez Emmert clearly against the spring break football trip. "There's a difference between not being prohibited and being OK."
— Josh Kendall (@JoshTheAthletic) February 19, 2016
Under the current NCAA rules, taking a football program to another state for spring practices, as Michigan intended, is allowed. Harbaugh was not flirting with any NCAA violations under the current structure and the way the rules are interpreted or enforced. With a rising concern over the management of student-athletes and how much time is spent out of classes focusing on athletics, it was always a possibility this plan may have to be altered if the NCAA got involved. Of course, this is not to suggest anything will change once the NCAA has that meeting in April.