Clay Helton optimistic, expects USC football 2020 season answers in 6-8 weeks

USC football head coach Clay Helton expects to have a clearer idea of how the 2020 season will be played in 6-8 weeks.

With May quickly approaching the question on every USC football fans’ mind remains unanswered:

When will college football return? Will it return at all?

USC football head coach Clay Helton didn’t have anything substantial to add to the query on Wednesday when he spoke with Adam Grosbard of the OC Register, but he did hint at answers on the horizon.

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“I don’t have a crystal ball,” Helton said. “I think we’re going to get a lot clearer picture of the whole thing probably in 6-8 weeks is what I’m being told.”

On Tuesday, USC confirmed its Summer Session 2 would be held completely online, leaving campus closed until at least August 11. Since the Trojans would normally begin Fall Camp at the end of July or the first week of August, the timetable doesn’t bode well for practice or the season kicking off as normal.

Even if the start of the season has to be adjusted, Helton thinks the season will indeed be played.

“I think everybody is optimistic that we will have a season, we just don’t know the timing of that season or the structure of it,” he said.

One of the major difficulties is figuring out a time that works for programs across the country given the vastly different conditions in each region.

The western block of the USA, including states that house 10 of the 12 Pac-12 schools, have made a pact to reopen on the same schedule, but that schedule may differ from states like Utah and Arizona. Georgia has already begun to reopen businesses while California still appears weeks away from similar measures. Counties in the Bay Area have extended their stay-at-home orders through the end of May.

College football may be willing to get started, but matching everyone’s restart dates might get tricky.

Helton at least expressed confidence in the NCAA maintaining a “level playing field” for all programs.

Those are questions at a higher level than the Trojan head coach.

“For us, [it’s] when is it safe to get back as 110 men? That’s No. 1,” Helton said. “Phase 2 is going to be getting our kids in functional football shape and be able to safely go into a training camp. Phase 3 will be that actual training camp and Phase 4 will be actual play.”

Maybe those stages will play out in August. Maybe in September. Maybe later. No one knows. With any luck, we’ll know more in mid-June.