Towson cancels spring football for 2021

[UIWWildthing]

https://www.wbal.com/article/484173/2/towson-university-says-no-to-playing-intercollegiate-football-in-the-spring

[Go Green]

Small comfort, but Dartmouth's Coach Teevens recently said in an interview that this season's Dartmouth-Towson game at Towson was rescheduled for 2029 (or thereabouts, he thinks).

[NY Crusader 2010]

Whatever happened to JMU and their exploration of scheduling fall games?

Former CAA opponent UMASS is looking for people to play.

[mainejeff]

Towson really screwed the rest of the CAA.

[DFW HOYA]

Small comfort, but Dartmouth's Coach Teevens recently said in an interview that this season's Dartmouth-Towson game at Towson was rescheduled for 2029 (or thereabouts, he thinks).

Still waiting for that Georgetown-Towson game, given that Tigers are closer to DC than any I-AA team outside Howard (just 55 miles).

And why do I suspect neither team is on any future schedules?

[dewey]

Towson really screwed the rest of the CAA.

I have a feeling that this isn't the last team to realize that a spring and fall season in one calendar year isn't in the beat interest of the student athletes.

Dewey

[Go Green]

I have a feeling that this isn't the last team to realize that a spring and fall season in one calendar year isn't in the beat interest of the student athletes.

Dewey

There are no "good" options here. Everything is going to have a significant downside.

[Anthony215]

Wow in that case I guess it was smart on Shane Simpson's part transferring to UVA to get a fall season in and be able to enter the 2021 NFL Draft

[Mocs123]

I have a feeling that this isn't the last team to realize that a spring and fall season in one calendar year isn't in the beat interest of the student athletes.

Dewey

I know our coach has had concerns about the players health playing so many games in a calendar year. I think if it was 4 games in the spring it might be more like spring practice and not be as big of an issue.

[bluehenbillk]

I have a feeling that this isn't the last team to realize that a spring and fall season in one calendar year isn't in the beat interest of the student athletes.

Dewey

I agree 100%

[Anthony215]

I think a 4 game season is fair because it allows those R-Seniors a chance to have a senior day, the university is already paying for their tuition for the spring semester anyways and allows for a full 2021 recruiting class. No conference championship obviously would be awarded or playoffs but it replaces the normal spring ball practice with live action once a week plus practice. The 4th year seniors probably would return for a 5th year but that's easier for schools to prepare for financially then having potentially 3 senior classes at once.

Remember the 2016 signees would be the 5th year seniors this fall, the 2017 signees would be the 4th year seniors this fall and the 2017 signees who redshirted would be 5th year seniors for the 2021 season. Lots of scholarship money to find if you are crunching in extra classes into the season.

As for the extra wear and tear on the body, realistically for those teams (majority) who aren't in the 2021 playoffs those kids play at most 14 games in 2021 with the spring season, if you make the playoffs it's maybe 14-17 games in a 10 month period (NFL numbers)

[Mocs123]

The way I understand it the Fall 2020/Spring 2021 season doesn't count against any players eligibility even if we end up playing a relatively full season.

Currently we have a couple of kids that are 6th year seniors due to injury years, and I wonder if they would want to come back for a 7th year. I know we also have a 5th year senior that already has two B.S. degrees and is finishing his MBA in December. Would he want to come back?

[Libertine]

The way I understand it the Fall 2020/Spring 2021 season doesn't count against any players eligibility even if we end up playing a relatively full season.


This is correct.

[Mocs123]

This is correct.

Which makes the 2021 signing class very small for most schools.

[Anthony215]

Which makes the 2021 signing class very small for most schools.

I think if you have a spring season even if it's just conference play only you are allowing kids who you need to relinquish their scholarships for the Fall 2021 a fair chance to go out on their own terms and have some kind of senior season. I look at Villanova, they have a stud CB in Jaquan Amos who is a true senior this year, if they continue and play this season I don't see him coming back Fall 2021 I like him to enter the 2021 NFL Draft if healthy however if they cancel the season he has to return in the Fall 2021 and that takes away from the 2021 recruit scholarship money as he is a full ride scholarship player. If many FCS schools cancel the spring seasons it'll force many of them to rescind 2021 offers along with cutting some 4th year/5th year seniors scholarship money which pushes that talent down to the D2 level. Kids aren't paying $60k to play their senior year at Nova when they can play for free at IUP, West Chester or Kutztown lol.

[Libertine]

Which makes the 2021 signing class very small for most schools.

Yes, and along with trying to adjust to the 'two-time senior' variable, the NCAA is also still banning in-person recruiting and official visits. The number of signees in the early December signing period will probably be way down across the board.

[CenMEBlackBearFan]

I think if you have a spring season even if it's just conference play only you are allowing kids who you need to relinquish their scholarships for the Fall 2021 a fair chance to go out on their own terms and have some kind of senior season. I look at Villanova, they have a stud CB in Jaquan Amos who is a true senior this year, if they continue and play this season I don't see him coming back Fall 2021 I like him to enter the 2021 NFL Draft if healthy however if they cancel the season he has to return in the Fall 2021 and that takes away from the 2021 recruit scholarship money as he is a full ride scholarship player. If many FCS schools cancel the spring seasons it'll force many of them to rescind 2021 offers along with cutting some 4th year/5th year seniors scholarship money which pushes that talent down to the D2 level. Kids aren't paying $60k to play their senior year at Nova when they can play for free at IUP, West Chester or Kutztown lol.

What a difficult situation all these teams are in trying to figure who will be back and how it will effect 2021 recruiting. Deshaun Stevens was fist all team defense for Maine last year but tore his achilles last year so have no idea how he and other seniors will view their spring senior year.xconfusedx

[Anthony215]

What a difficult situation all these teams are in trying to figure who will be back and how it will effect 2021 recruiting. Deshaun Stevens was fist all team defense for Maine last year but tore his achilles last year so have no idea how he and other seniors will view their spring senior year.xconfusedx

I have been advising C/O 2021 recruits if you love a school and they're offering you take the offer quickly because there will be a shortage of FCS/FBS scholarships to go around and you may end up falling down to the D2 rankings which technically might not be a bad fall back option. If you're as good as advertised you can play at the D2 level for 2 years, transfer up once scholarships are leveled back down and fulfill your D1 football goals. Or one could simply dominate at the D2 level and enter the 2025 draft and still be picked if you're that good. What's your take on Chris Ferguson's leap up to the FBS level and being the #2 guy at Liberty for his senior year? I see he did start one game for the injured QB and threw 3 TDs.

[Mocs123]

I agree it's a terrible situation all around. The NCAA did what seems like the right thing in allowing another year of eligibility (though with some teams playing a full schedule I'm not sure they should get another year but are) and then have tried to fix the recruiting issue by not having the seniors count against your scholarship limit, but of course every school not named NDSU, Montana, or JMU is probably so cash strapped after COVID that they can't afford the additional scholarships even if they have them to give. I fear we'll see a mess of players "processed" as well as craziness in recruiting for the next few years until it works itself out.

[CenMEBlackBearFan]

I have been advising C/O 2021 recruits if you love a school and they're offering you take the offer quickly because there will be a shortage of FCS/FBS scholarships to go around and you may end up falling down to the D2 rankings which technically might not be a bad fall back option. If you're as good as advertised you can play at the D2 level for 2 years, transfer up once scholarships are leveled back down and fulfill your D1 football goals. Or one could simply dominate at the D2 level and enter the 2025 draft and still be picked if you're that good. What's your take on Chris Ferguson's leap up to the FBS level and being the #2 guy at Liberty for his senior year? I see he did start one game for the injured QB and threw 3 TDs.

Loved everything about Chris Ferguson probably his best attribute was his leadership. But when he got injured his replacement freshman Joe Fagnano outplayed him so when he made the decision to transfer I think most fans understood the move. Ferg's sisters are either employed by Liberty or are going to school. What really hurt Maine was the lack of a #1RB last year. We lost Josh Mack who transferred to Liberty and was their #1 back but watching last weeks game against Syracuse the commentators mentioned he had some discipline issues and never saw the field. In 2019 we then lost Ramon Jefferson due to some off the field incidents and no one could step in and take over the run game.

[Anthony215]

Loved everything about Chris Ferguson probably his best attribute was his leadership. But when he got injured his replacement freshman Joe Fagnano outplayed him so when he made the decision to transfer I think most fans understood the move. Ferg's sisters are either employed by Liberty or are going to school. What really hurt Maine was the lack of a #1RB last year. We lost Josh Mack who transferred to Liberty and was their #1 back but watching last weeks game against Syracuse the commentators mentioned he had some discipline issues and never saw the field. In 2019 we then lost Ramon Jefferson due to some off the field incidents and no one could step in and take over the run game.

I think he made a great move transferring but was puzzled he chose Liberty with them having a QB in place pretty much who is very mobile and elusive which while Chris has a great arm he's not fast and agile like Malik. I know he has pro aspirations so he does have film playing at the FBS level which should help him but I don't think he would have won the competition with Joe as he did play pretty darn good in relief of Chris while he was hurt. Josh Mack was a beast at Maine and I was unaware of his discipline issues as well but when he's played at Liberty he has done well.

[OhioHen]

With Towson out, does the CAA put Delaware and Villanova both in the South? Would allow for a nearby "double up" Battle of the Blue.

Also reduces total travel for several others.

[Gangtackle11]

With Towson out, does the CAA put Delaware and Villanova both in the South? Would allow for a nearby "double up" Battle of the Blue.

Also reduces total travel for several others.

Makes sense. Let’s do it. xpeacex