Spring football season 2021

[Yotes]

As a fan I'd be cool with a 3 game season against the other Dakotas. I'd like a full conference schedule and playoffs, but that is seeming more unlikely by the day.

I'm declaring most recent winner gets to host. UND and sdsu have to play in Verm, and no one has to go to Grand Forks.

[88grad]

Or on home and away against all the Valley indoor teams.

[yoteforever]

Jan 15, 2021 11:21:37 GMT -6 Yotes said:

Big Sky has had Montana, Montana State, and Portland State recently opt out of the spring season.

I'm also just seeing Southern Utah will be joining the WAC...who is forming a new FCS football conference. Not related to the spring season but interesting nonetheless.

Where did you read that? There’s nothing on either Montana school website that supports that. You might be 100% correct but I’m not seeing it. They show a 6 game schedule

[yoteforever]

I take it back. They just announced but hasn’t changed on website

[easmus]

Interesting info out of Stanford.

[easmus]

If most of the season falls apart and the Dakota schools and UNI want to play each other I am all for it.

[yoteforever]

All the MVFC presidents and AD’s committed to playing the spring season with exception of Indiana State. My guess is there now be a change in schedules so everyone still attempts to get in 8 games

[seayote]

Jan 16, 2021 11:25:40 GMT -6 easmus said:

Interesting info out of Stanford.

This study focuses on the early 2020 non-pharmaceutical interventions prevalent in the United States, primarily wide-spread business closures and stay-at-home mandates.  Clearly those NPI's weren't very effective in preventing the spread of COVID, because we all know where we're at almost a year (and nearly 400,000 deaths) later.  While this article, which only summarizes the Stanford study, doesn't specifically mention mask wearing and social distancing, it DOES acknowledge the researcher's conclusion that "more targeted public health interventions that more effectively reduce transmissions may be important for future epidemic control without the harms of highly restrictive measures".  I would assume that includes masks and distancing. 

This article is from Outkick, which was founded and is presumably owned by radio sports talk show host Clay Travis.  His credibility on the subject of COVID is extremely sketchy.  He likes to weave a lot of politics and policy into his show, and I think he dreams of a more prominent role in the public discourse, something beyond sports.  Like him or not, he'll probably achieve that, because he is a great self-promoter and is just offensive enough to attract an audience. 

Below is from his Wikipedia page on the subject of COVID: 
Travis has attracted harsh criticism for spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic.[18][19][20][21] Travis has repeatedly downplayed the severity of the disease, calling it "overrated",[22] claiming that it is less severe than the seasonal flu,[22] that fewer than several hundred would die of the disease in the US,[18] that victims of the disease probably have been "killed a month or two earlier" than they would have been otherwise,[23] and inaccurately stated that the mortality rate for those under 80 and without pre-existing conditions is "virtually zero".[18] He also claimed that some advocates for mitigation measures to slow the spread were "rooting for the virus to triumph".

Besides being a public health pandemic, the likes of which none of us has ever experienced, COVID has also become a political hot potato, which I find regrettable.  I appreciate this forum for what it is -- a place for discussion of Coyote athletics.  I don't want to be "that guy" who sours it with political discussion, but when Clay Travis stuff makes its way to the board, I'm gonna respond.

[easmus]

My reason for posting was more about linking to an article that references a study and less about Clay Travis. Ultimately we may never know, but I would be curious to know if the death toll and hospitalization rates would be similar had we kept everything open and had buy in from everyone to wear mask. It unfortunately has become political and that’s not my intent. It intersects with sports because of limited of any attendance at sporting events and hurting revenues.

[Yotes]

Jan 16, 2021 11:25:40 GMT -6 easmus said:

Interesting info out of Stanford.

I think masks and social distancing would have done wonders across the country if taken seriously. I live in a county (Hennepin, MN) where leading up to us shutting down restaurants around Thanksgiving we were having fewer cases than the state of South Dakota despite having like 300k more residents - crammed into a drastically smaller space. The biggest difference I could infer was mask usage. It's strictly enforced in the Twin Cities. I went to Verm for Christmas and it was like the pandemic didn't exist.

We saw a decrease in cases in Minnesota following the shutdown of restaurants, but so did other Midwestern states that didn't do anything. My thought is to keep things going but with safety precautions that are actually enforced.

[seayote]

Jan 16, 2021 16:51:27 GMT -6 easmus said:

My reason for posting was more about linking to an article that references a study and less about Clay Travis. Ultimately we may never know, but I would be curious to know if the death toll and hospitalization rates would be similar had we kept everything open and had buy in from everyone to wear mask. It unfortunately has become political and that’s not my intent. It intersects with sports because of limited of any attendance at sporting events and hurting revenues.

Thanks for responding, easmus.  Please know that my post was in no way a shot at you.  I should have clarified that earlier, and I appreciate the opportunity to do so now.  

[ontheyote]

I am all in for a Spring Season, I think having just a few games would be really beneficial for our players. Those live reps are so important for our young guys. That being said, its not the end of the world if this spring season gets canceled. I believe most of the seniors are using that extra year and coming back in the fall anyway. Two full schedules within a 9 month span would be hard on a player's body. It takes a lot of strength and conditioning work to get the body ready for a football season. I think best case scenario is we get 2-4 games in the spring, enough to get a lot of live reps and practice time, but not enough to wear down our team.

[Yotes]

We are less than a month from the first game. Is this still happening? Are any fans allowed?

[coyotemarketing1]

Jan 21, 2021 1:24:49 GMT -6 Yotes said:

We are less than a month from the first game. Is this still happening? Are any fans allowed?

The MVFC has adjusted the spring football schedule (see tweet below). Season ticket holders and USD students will be allowed at games this spring. Season tickets are still available.

It can be a bit confusing this year regarding fan attendance, but if you ever have any questions regarding tickets/fan attendance please contact the Coyote ticket office at 605-677-5959 or [e-mail]. They will be able to give you the most up to date information.

[Yotes]

Ask and you shall receive. Thanks!