What we know is that so far, far more students have contracted the virus than the student athletes.
The Indiana player is right - we do need to listen to the medical experts. That doesn’t necessarily mean we need to end sports. The problem we’ll continue to see (in my opinion) is more and more large numbers of positive tests from students and not from the athletes. That will hopefully prompt more real questions of the medical experts who advocate not playing sports why all other levels of sports are still playing and why students are allowed on campus. Football players’ biggest risk of getting the virus will continue to not be on the field.
I agree. Speaking generally, SA's are in much more structured environments compared to general student body. They are accountable to their team & coaches.
As one anecdotal point... my sons are D3 athletes. They play a spring sport with about 35-40 players on the roster. Their coach carries a rather large stick (plenty of consequences for failing to follow team rules) to their carrot of enjoying the game they love & being part of the brotherhood of team. As they are returning to school over the next week or so, the coach has already established how fall practices will go (small 'pods' each led by a captain). As for their personal time, he's directed the captains to ensure no gathering will exceed 10-12 people. The coach will punish violators.
At first, I sort of laughed at notion he could pull off keeping these guys in line including their social lives. The team is tight and socialize in large groups often (pre covid). While it is the right thing to do, it seems like a big demand... & rather lofty expectation (to me)... .. but my sons seem to be totally onboard (one is a captain).
That kind of approach will be repeated across the country by NCAA coaches & teams. In some cases, jobs will be lost. There is no such oversight for the general student.