Pac-12 players ask governors, conference for chance to play
Pac-12 football players are coming together to ask the conference and various governors to allow them to play this fall.
USC quarterback Kedon Slovis and receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown were among the first to take to Twitter and address California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
"The current reality is that there are too many restrictions imposed by state and local health officials in California that prevent us from resuming practice and competitions," the letter states.
@gavinnewsom We have sat by for two weeks watching teams across the country play the game we love safely. Most schools have a fraction of the resources that our school and conference have provided to play safely. You are the only thing holding us back. Please #LetUsPlay . pic.twitter.com/au4JZ5PNbz
— Kedon Slovis (@Kedonslovis) September 15, 2020
Members of Utah and Oregon's football teams also requested that athletes have the choice to participate in a season. Oregon wide receiver Mycah Pittman and Utah's Jake Bentley were among those who tweeted their desire to play.
Dear @pac12, I ask if you guys can give us players an option to opt in or out. Display the risk of us playing this season and let us agree upon it. For you guys to take something away from me that I love so dearly it hurts and I had no option but listen. #WeWantToPlay
— MJP (@MycahPittman) September 15, 2020
The Pac-12 was one of two major conferences - along with the Big Ten - that opted to postpone its fall football season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, a recent partnership with Quidel Corporation that will allow the conference to administer rapid, daily testing for COVID-19 could change that.
The conference's "most aggressive" return date is mid-to-late November, sources told ESPN's Heather Dinich.
"At this time, our universities in California and Oregon do not have approval from state or local public health officials to start contact practice," commissioner Larry Scott said Wednesday after the Big Ten finalized its long-awaited return, according to ESPN's Kyle Bonagura. "We are hopeful that our new daily testing capability can help satisfy public health official approvals in California and Oregon to begin contact practice and competition."
Scott added that the Pac-12 is also monitoring air quality issues that have arisen in parts of the west coast following recent wildfires.