TAMPA, FLORIDA - JANUARY 01: Mohamed Ibrahim #24 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers rushes during the 2020 Outback Bowl against the Auburn Tigers at Raymond James Stadium on January 01, 2020 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS - The Big Ten Conference announced Monday morning it has extended the suspension of organized team activities until at least June 1 due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The move is in addition to the NCAA’s decision to cancel all conference and non-conference competitions through the end of the academic year, effectively canceling the spring sports season for Big Ten schools. Monday’s extension is for spring sports that would still be competing after the academic year is over.
The Big Ten also previously announced a moratorium on all on and off-campus recruiting activities for the foreseeable future.
The University of Minnesota football program had its spring season canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. P.J. Fleck and the Gophers, coming off an 11-2 season, had finished their first week of spring practice when the NCAA suspended all spring activities.
Monday’s news means the clock will soon be ticking if the NCAA, Big Ten other conferences across the country hope to start the college football season on time.
Big Ten officials say they remain in contact with medical experts and school presidents to determine what the next steps are in battling the Covid-19 pandemic. Discussions remain ongoing on what the 2020 college football season could look like, including the possibility of delaying the start of the season until December or January of 2021.
Being stuck at home hasn’t slowed Fleck and the Gophers. He landed nine commitments in the month of April for the 2021 class, with a majority of the recruits never having stepped foot on campus. The nine commitments includes at least three four-star athletes, and the Gophers’ current 2021 recruiting class is ranked in the top 10 in the country, and third in the Big Ten.