Kirk Ferentz Talks About Decision To Cancel Fall Season

From Radio Iowa- Kinnick Stadium will be silent in September as the Big Ten Conference has canceled the fall sports season,including Iowa Hawkeye football games. Head Coach Kirk Ferentz spoke with the media after the announcement and said the release of the schedule last week had given the players hope they would see the field this fall.

Nebraska’s coach has indicated the school might play anyway even though the Big Ten canceled the fall season. Ferentz said he has great respect for the conference and believes they should stick together.

The conference is looking at the possibility of having a spring season.

The statement from the Big Ten conference says the decision was made due to ongoing health and safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The conference statement says it relied on the medical advice and counsel of the Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee. Ferentz says he’s no doctor and understands there was a tough decision to be made.

Iowa athletic director Gary Barta released a statement following the announcement that said:
“With the announcement today from the Big Ten Conference, our immediate focus is on our student-athletes and continuing to provide care and support. They have overcome a number of obstacles associated with this virus and handled the uncertainties with undeniable resolve. We will continue to work together and move forward. We have said from the very beginning, the health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff is our first priority. Our athletics department is incredibly fortunate to have the expertise and guidance of our medical team and the U-I Hospital and Clinics. Unfortunately, there were still too many uncertainties to move forward with our fall sports. The University of Iowa supports the extremely difficult decision made by the Big Ten Conference.”