BYU Transitions From Voluntary Workouts To ‘Football-Related Activities’

PROVO, Utah – BYU football is back in action. Well, not games yet. Hopefully, that happens. But on Monday, the Cougars begin practicing. Or as the NCAA calls it, “countable athletically related activities.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has rocked everything we typically know about the college football off-season. Most programs didn’t get spring practices. BYU held six practices before everything shut down in March. But to give every program an opportunity to get back into tip-top shape for the season, the NCAA has added a new wrinkle in the leadup to the season.

FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) programs that have Week 1 games scheduled on September 5th were able to begin 20 hours per week of countable athletically related activities on July 24th.

Day 1 Lessss Go!@jernarogilford #ByuFootball pic.twitter.com/8wcPiuC8Ka

— Preston A Hadley (@CoachPHadley) July 27, 2020

BYU currently doesn’t have a game on their schedule till October 2nd against Utah State, but the NCAA granted a waiver for Kalani Sitake’s program to begin this week.

Safeties coach Preston Hadley said in a Twitter video, “It’s day one of the season. We don’t know if it’s been officially confirmed who we’re playing, but we’re gonna be ready. And whoever it is, we want all the smoke.”

After this two-week portion of camp, teams will then begin their regularly scheduled four-week Fall Camp practice schedule. BYU’s first day of Fall Camp practice is set for August 4th.

Activities during BYU Football Training Camp

During the “countable athletically related activities,” the NCAA states that teams can use their 20 hours per week on the following activities.

DI Football Oversight Committee finalizes preseason plan: https://t.co/fC8jxmTuSk

Chair Shane Lyons, athletics director at @WVUSports, shares about the phased approach. pic.twitter.com/SoTjJVD3uN

— Inside the NCAA (@InsidetheNCAA) June 11, 2020

• Up to eight hours per week for weight training and conditioning.
• Up to six hours per week for walk-throughs, which may include the use of a football.
• Up to six hours per week for meetings, which may include film review, team meetings, position meetings, one-on-one meetings, etc.

The NCAA also states that during this 14-day period student-athletes are required to receive two days off.

Since June 1st, four different groups of BYU football players have been participating in voluntary workouts. Since workouts began, BYU has not disclosed the number of tests they have performed and the number of positive COVID-19 cases from student-athletes.

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.