By JEFF TIRRELL
(GREENFIELD) — After making the decision to cancel its football season due to safety concerns related to the Covid-19 pandemic, the University of Massachusetts has reversed course and has announced that there will be a season this fall after all.
In a press release issued this morning, the University said those safety concerns have been adequately addressed, and a truncated season is a go for this fall.
“The health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches and staff has always been our first priority,” said director of athletics Ryan Bamford. “Since returning to campus in June, the members of our football program have been vigilant in following the policies and safety protocols instituted by the state, our university and athletics department, helping us reach a high level of confidence that we can safely conduct a truncated season this fall. Further, our recent work to generate a schedule in the spring semester, similar to our other fall sports, indicated that fall 2020 provided the best opportunity for our football student-athletes to take the field this academic year.”
UMass will release a schedule of games that will begin in mid-October as soon as its finalized.