Mountain West board approves fall football. Ready or not, Fresno State will play

The Mountain West Conference board of directors voted Thursday night to dive into a fall football season.

After postponing the start of the season in August due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it plans to play an 8-game schedule starting Oct. 24 — subject to approval from state, county and local officials.

A conference championship game is scheduled for Dec. 19.

The conference will release more information on Friday, likely addressing its decision to move forward as well as procurement of COVID-19 tests that are a key component in a return, coronavirus protocols, scheduling and other potential issues in returning to the football field.

Fresno State officials declined to comment until Friday.

Behind the 8 ball?

Fresno State submitted a plan to the county department of public health Tuesday to get student-athletes to campus.

But even with a quick approval, it will be well behind some of its conference rivals. Most other programs have had its football players participating in strength and conditioning workouts, and some have held full practices.

No program in the Mountain West had a full 15 spring practices.

Fresno State, meanwhile, was among six Mountain West program that never held a single spring practice.

Here’s a quick breakdown of spring practices conducted:

13 – Air Force

8 – Colorado State

8 – New Mexico

6 – San Diego State

3 – Boise State

2 – Utah State

0 – Fresno State

0 – Hawaii

0 – Nevada

0 – San Jose State

0 – UNLV

0 – Wyoming

The Bulldogs have been on the sidelines since a strength and conditioning program that ended just before their spring practices were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

They did not come back to campus when the NCAA cleared the way for voluntary workouts in June due to Fresno County health and safety guidelines, did not come back to campus when it OK’d two mandatory workout sessions in July, did not come back to campus for the start of a scheduled fall camp in August.

In fact, the Bulldogs haven’t been in full pads since the end of a disappointing 2019 season and a 17-16 loss at San Jose State.

Fresno State was 4-8, finishing on a four-game losing streak.

But in less than one month, the Bulldogs will be suiting up for a football game.

If the Mountain West sticks to its 2020 schedule, Fresno State would open against Air Force, which not only has been practicing but will have played a game scheduled on Oct. 3 against Navy.

With the season postponed, the Falcons had planned to play their traditional Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy games against Army and Navy.

‘Dogs opponents’ workout schedules

All of the Bulldogs’ likely opponents have had players on campus, some since June participating in strength and conditioning workouts.

• Colorado State had players back in June for voluntary workouts and in July for mandatory workouts. The Rams suspended workouts briefly during an investigation following allegations of racial insensitivity and abuse and its handling of COVID-19 cases, but are back in workouts. They have not had any full-contact practices due to county health regulations, and have been working out in helmets and spiders, or skeleton pads.
• Utah State also had players back on campus in June, and like Colorado State is using the 12-hour week approved by the NCAA that includes strength and conditioning workouts, meetings and walk-thoughs. The Aggies on the field have been in helmets only.
• Hawaii is conditioning 12 hours per week, and has yet to workout in full pads. It had players back on campus in June and July, though there was a pause. “We got our first case and the issue of more frequent testing came up,” an athletics department spokesman said. “During that time, the Mountain West announced postponement and our state had another surge forcing a stay-at-home order.”
• Nevada had a Week Zero game on its schedule so it started fall camp on July 31 before the season was postponed. Its full team was back on campus in July and the Wolf Pack currently is lifting weights, doing individual skill workouts and non-padded walk-throughs. Its practices were disrupted for a few days by poor air quality from the wildfires.
• San Diego State had a target date in June to bring student-athletes back to campus and stuck to it, though the Aztecs have dealt with interruptions to their schedule. The football team got a 10-day break shortly after the season was postponed, and athletics activities on campus were suspended for two weeks due to an increase in COVID-19 cases earlier this month.
• San Jose State brought its student-athletes back to campus in late July and is using the 12-hour rule for conditioning and individual skill development. The Spartans have had to take two breaks due to poor air quality from wildfires in the area on Aug. 19 and Sept. 11.
• UNLV had its players return to campus in June, and some went home after the season was postponed. It is using the 12-hour rule for strength and conditioning and position meetings.

This story was originally published September 24, 2020 at 7:40 PM.