Texas Football: Spring camp might not be cancelled yet after all?

Spring camp for the Texas football program might be on hiatus, but there is still an open door to the possibility of practice starting up.

So you’re saying there is a chance? The Texas football program might be keeping that mindset about the potential start of spring camp at some point this year.

It appeared that the Texas Longhorns football program wasn’t going to have spring practice at any point this year due to the precautions surrounding the novel coronavirus. But a recent report from Horns247 showed that spring camp might still be in the card, or at least it hasn’t been officially ruled out yet.

Here’s what that report from Horns247 had to say on the matter of Texas updating their status on spring football.

"Discussions are still ongoing about when Texas might begin spring football, Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte told Horns247.com Friday.Big 12 athletic directors have been talking on a teleconference call each of the last three days, often times consulting with members of the 32 other conferences in college athletics, about how to respond to the coronavirus pandemic that has shut down campuses across the country.“First and foremost, we’re making sure our kids on campus have a place to go,” Del Conte said, referring to a mandate handed down earlier this week that Texas students need to move out of campus housing by March 30 as the university transitions to online learning."

Texas athletic director Chris del Conte met with the rest of the Big 12 AD’s earlier this week to discuss the status of the athletic calendar for the rest of the semester.

The fact that “discussions are still ongoing” about the status of spring football for the Longhorns is a sign that practice could happen if the COVID-19 outbreak slows down within the next few weeks. Although, all Big 12 athletics are at least on hiatus until March 29. The University of Texas-Austin extended spring break until March 30 and will be moving classes online after that point for the rest of the semester.

For other major sports, the COVID-19 precautions had a profound impact. The rest of the Big 12 Tournament and the NCAA Tournament were both cancelled before the Texas men’s basketball program to to play a single postseason game. Texas baseball also could have its season rendered much less impactful since the College World Series was cancelled.

The Longhorns athletic director del Conte should have a big say in what happens for head coach Tom Herman, quarterback Sam Ehlinger, and their football program for spring camp. Texas was scheduled to begin spring football on March 24 with the Orange-White Game kicking off on April 25.

Maybe the Longhorns and the Big 12 could turn to other conferences for help to figure out what to do for spring football. The ACC cancelled out the remainder of its athletic calendar through the end of the semester. Any 2019-20 sports seasons are done in the ACC. And the SEC postponed the start of any spring football for their 14 teams until at least April 15.

The ACC might have had its hand forced a bit sooner than the athletes would’ve liked due to the locations of a lot of the schools. There’s one school from the ACC that resides in New York state, Syracuse University, and that is one of the hardest hit states by COVID-19. The Florida State Seminoles also reside in another state hit hard by COVID-19.

However, the Longhorns and the Big 12 doesn’t appear to be rushing to a decision either way. Texas at least still has the opportunity to get spring practice up and running, but next week might be an ambitious start date.

Texas finished up their 2019 season with a record of 8-5 (5-4 Big 12). They beat the No. 11 ranked Utah Utes in the Alamo Bowl by the final score of 38-10. They are set to open the 2020 season against the South Florida Bulls on Sep. 5.

For more information on COVID-19, you can visit the CDC’s website.