Thanks to Indiana, we have yet another Power Five football program set to return to some semblance of normalcy.
Last month, the NCAA announced that it would allow schools to bring its student-athletes back to campus for voluntary workouts starting June 1. The SEC subsequently confirmed its players would be permitted to start returning June 8. Both Ohio State and Illinois from the Big Ten will be doing the same on the same date. And, as far as that goes, so are Clemson, Louisville and Pitt. Nebraska, meanwhile, has targeted June 1.
Wednesday, Indiana announced that select student-athletes, including some Hoosiers football players, will be permitted to return for workouts June 15. Those workouts, of course, are voluntary.
From the school’s release:The students’ returns will be staggered and include a reintegration phase before each student is able to participate in voluntary workouts at Indiana University athletic facilities.
The first group to start voluntary workouts will be members of the football team beginning June 15. In advance of starting workouts, this first group will go through a series of pre-participation protocols before they can be cleared to participate in voluntary workouts. Among other requirements, each student-athlete must complete a daily medical check and agree to abide by a series of CDC guidelines to complete the reintegration process and be cleared to participate in voluntary workouts.“We cannot totally eliminate the risk,” said IU athletic director Fred Glass in a statement. “At least until there is a vaccine, there will be risk. What we can do is have the best doctors give us the best protocols and make sure they are strictly followed. That’s what we’ve done and what we are going to do.”