Frost: Nebraska wants to play in 2020, open to options outside Big Ten
The upcoming college football season is in danger of postponement despite some coaches, including Nebraska's Scott Frost, believing it should be played.
"If we send kids home, they're going to be in closer contact with a lot of family members and other people that might be at higher risk for coronavirus than if we keep them here in an environment, where they're around other healthy, young people," Frost said Monday, according to Mark Schlabach of ESPN. "If I had a son, I would want him playing football. ... The safest environment we can put these guys in is an environment where they're being monitored constantly, being screened, being tested, being taken care of, (and) being protected if they do get sick.
"I'm passionate about this because our guys want to play. I'm proud of who they are and the decisions they've made. I think it's our responsibility to make sure they respect this virus. I'm not a doctor and I don't understand a lot of these things. The medical experts that we're leaning on are the ones that are guiding our decisions."
It was reported Monday that the Big Ten is set to cancel its fall campaign, with an official announcement possibly coming Tuesday.
A conference spokesperson said Monday that a vote has yet to take place, but the majority of Big Ten presidents have indicated that they'd opt to postpone the football season, sources told Schlabach.
Frost said that Nebraska president Walter E. Carter Jr. "wants to play."
The 45-year-old coach also said he's still focused on playing the Big Ten schedule. However, Frost added that he's considering other options, including playing outside the conference.
"We're a proud member of the Big Ten," Frost said. "We want to play a Big Ten schedule. I think the only reason we would look at any other options is if for some reason the Big Ten wasn't playing and only a handful of teams from the Big Ten wanted to continue playing. I think if that's the case, I think we're prepared to look at any and all options."
Nick Saban also said Monday that players are safer at Alabama than they are "running around at home." Ohio State's Ryan Day and Penn State's James Franklin also support the playing of the 2020 football season.