Not surprisingly, Nick Saban isn’t one to play the what-if game.
When it comes to the 2020 season being played amidst what is a growing coronavirus pandemic, the opinions vary. Some are decidedly pessimistic. Others are cautiously optimistic.
Because of the economic realities of canceling it, there’s a growing sense that the powers that be will go to great, great lengths to get the season played in some form or fashion. There’s talk the 2020 campaign could start in October. Or January. Or maybe even the spring.
If it is to start on time, players would likely need to be back on campus by the first of July. For schools such as Ohio State and Oklahoma, that will be impossible as both of those universities have already canceled in-person classes through the end of July, continuing online-only instruction.
Understandably, it’s an uncertain time in the sport.
During a conference call with the media Thursday, Nick Saban was asked his thoughts about the 2020 season being played. To the shock of absolutely no one, he wouldn’t even remotely tip his hand.
“I never really answer hypothetical questions,” the Alabama head coach said according to the Associated Press. “I’m sure that everybody’s going to want me to speculate on what’s going to happen in the future, and nobody really knows. It’s very uncertain. It’s uncertain times.
“I think we have to fight through the process of what we need to do on a day to day basis to make good choices and decisions, to do the right thing at the right time regardless of the circumstance.”
For the record, Alabama is set to open the 2020 season against USC Sept. 5 at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium.