No ‘final, final’ decision on ACC football after all, reports say

The ACC is apparently sticking with the status quo, continuing to move for a football start next month amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

Multiple outlets, including Yahoo! Sports and The Athletic, reported Thursday evening that no decision or major news came out of a meeting with ACC presidents.

That’s notable because earlier Thursday, Florida State president John Thrasher told the university’s board of trustees that he had “every reason to believe it will be the final, final recognition of whether we play fall sports or not” would come at the meeting. Thrasher also said he had “every reason to believe it will be a positive recognition.”

Thrasher has been a strong advocate of having the Seminoles and other schools play this fall, including at a round-table discussion with Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier this week.

Athletic director David Coburn told FSU’s board of trustees that the ACC’s medical advisory group has “weighed the risks” and brought in outside cardiologists from Duke and Emory to discuss myocarditis. That’s the heart inflammation that has been a serious concern in college athletics, especially over the last week, and helped lead the Big Ten and Pac-12 to abandon a fall football season.

“(The advisory group’s) conclusion is that we should be able to manage the risks and play,” Coburn told the board. “It’s not going to be easy. It’s not going to be cheap. But it is, in their view, doable at this point.

“That may well change day to day, hour to hour. But for now, we continue to practice and get ready to play in football, soccer, volleyball and cross country.”

Coburn also reiterated to the board that FSU expects to limit capacity at Doak Campbell Stadium to 20-25 percent for this fall. The Seminoles are scheduled to kick off against Georgia Tech on Sept. 12.