The Pac-12 Conference on Monday released policies and parameters for game cancellations that are consistent with other leagues but leave much open to interpretation.
The Pac-12 is scheduled to start a seven-game season Nov. 7 — the last of the major college football conferences to begin play. Arizona is slated to visit Utah that day.
For teams to participate in games, they must have at least 53 available scholarship players, including one quarterback, seven offensive linemen and four defensive linemen.
However, according to a league news release, falling below those thresholds doesn’t necessarily mean a game couldn’t be played. Per the release:
“The impacted institution has the option to play the game with fewer than the 53 scholarship players or fewer than the minimum number of position players listed above if it elects to do so. Otherwise, upon approval by the commissioner, the game would be rescheduled or declared a no-contest.”
The conference also lists five “COVID-19-related impacts” that could lead to a game being rescheduled or declared a no-contest:
- Inability to isolate new positive cases within a team or athletic department or to quarantine high-risk contacts
- Unavailability or inability to perform testing as provided by the Pac-12 medical guidelines
- Campus-wide or local community transmission rates that are considered unsafe by local public health officials
- Inability to perform adequate contact tracing consistent with governmental requirements
- Local public health officials of the home team state that there is an inability for the hospital infrastructure to accommodate a surge
The third item remains a subject of debate in the Tucson area and has caused considerable consternation among local high school programs.
The Pima County Health Department recommended that football and other contact sports be put on hold until the county’s coronavirus rate falls to 10 or fewer positive cases per 100,000 residents. The Arizona Interscholastic Association is allowing schools to play if their communities have fewer than 75 cases per 100,000 residents.
The latest figures from the Arizona Department of Health Services show Pima County at about 50 cases per 100,000.
The Wildcats have been participating in a modified version of training camp since Oct. 9. UA coach Kevin Sumlin missed the first two practices after testing positive for COVID-19. He returned Oct. 12.
The Pac-12 also announced tiebreaking procedures, which for the most part are standard fare: head-to-head results, division record, etc. But the league also acknowledged the possibility that some teams might not be able to complete the full schedule, which is devoid of open weeks. More than 30 scheduled games have been postponed or canceled across the country.
Per the league’s release: “In order for teams to be considered in a divisional tiebreak scenario, teams must play no less than one fewer conference game than the average number of conference games played by all conference teams.”
The example given was an average of 5.25 (which would be rounded down to 5) games out of a possible six. (The seventh game will be the Pac-12 Championship between the two division winners and to-be-determined crossover games among the others.) If a team played in only four conference games, it would be eligible for the division tiebreaker.
The Pac-12 also outlined a scenario in which the average number of conference games falls to four or below. In that case, the two teams with the best winning percentage would participate in the title game — regardless of division affiliation. So it’s conceivable, albeit unlikely, that Arizona could face rival Arizona State in back-to-back weeks.
Regardless, the first tiebreaker for the title game will be overall winning percentage. In the event of an unbalanced schedule and a tie in the loss column, head-to-head results will supersede winning percentage.
The Pac-12 Championship Game is scheduled for Dec. 18. If the teams have identical records, the home team will be determined by the following procedures:
- Head-to-head record, if applicable
- Record against the next-highest-placed common opponent in the conference
- Record in common conference games
- Team with the highest College Football Playoff ranking
- Highest ranking by SportSource Analytics
- Coin toss
Fans will not be allowed to attend Pac-12 football games no matter what. Tailgating also is not permitted.
UA fans can purchase cardboard cutouts to display images of themselves at Arizona Stadium. The Wildcats’ home opener is Nov. 14 against USC.
Cornerback Christian Roland-Wallace will be counted on to play a big role for the UA defense this year after seeing action in all 12 games as a freshman.
CRW’s ‘ups and downs’
UA sophomore Christian Roland-Wallace has the perfect temperament to play cornerback. Here’s how he summed up his freshman season:
“Ups and downs. I could just learn from them. Take those as lessons. Just take on what’s next.”
Roland-Wallace appeared in all 12 games, making eight starts. He recorded 37 tackles, six passes defensed and one interception but also got beaten for touchdowns a handful of times.
“It was definitely a different experience from high school,” said Roland-Wallace, a three-star recruit from Palmdale, California. “But the coaches had me out there for a reason. I have a job to do.”
Roland-Wallace will be counted on to play a significant role in a secondary that no longer features multiyear starters Jace Whittaker and Scottie Young Jr. The two mentored Roland-Wallace a year ago.
“I tried to ask a lot of questions to the older guys,” Roland-Wallace said. “I feel like they did a great job helping me on and off the field.”
Roland-Wallace will be playing for a new position coach, but it’s someone he knows well. Roland-Wallace received his first Pac-12 offer from Oregon State when Greg Burns was the DB coach there. Burns then pursued Roland-Wallace while at USC. He joined the UA staff in March.
“I knew what he was capable of,” Burns said. “I’m happy that I get a chance to get my hands on him.”
Extra points
- The Wildcats returned to practice Monday evening after taking Sunday off. They are scheduled to scrimmage at Arizona Stadium on Saturday.
- UA football released a short highlight video from last Saturday’s scrimmage. Notable plays include an interception by safety Jarrius Wallace on a pass that linebacker Derrion Clark tipped; a touchdown pass from Kevin Doyle to freshman receiver Dyelan Miller; and a pair of nifty plays – one a reception, one a run – by sophomore tailback Michael Wiley.
- Receiver Jamarye Joiner revealed Monday night that the foot fracture that kept him out for much of the offseason might have occurred during the 2019 season. He also said he would have been only 60% healthy had this season started when it was supposed to (Aug. 29).
- Joiner and outside receivers coach Taylor Mazzone noted an uptick in quarterback Grant Gunnell's velocity.
