MM 7.17: DC and Virginia public high schools postpone football season to 2021

Ahead of the upcoming fall sports season, DMV-area high schools are beginning to opt to postpone sports such as football until at least February 2021.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, The DC State Athletic Association (DCSAA) and The Virginia High School League (VSHL) announced that football would not be played this fall earlier this week, and instead would run from February through late April/early May. While the DCSAA has officially confirmed its adjusted fall sports schedule Thursday, the VSHL executive committee is expected to vote on its proposed schedule on July 27.

“Given the current environment, it just is not feasible to begin practice August 1 and competition later that month,” said DCSAA Executive Director Clark Ray. “The safety of student-athletes and coaches remains our top priority. We have consulted with DC Health, our member public, public charter and private schools to discuss the options for having athletics this school year. Given the current science and data, this is the best solution to allow our student-athletes to compete in 2020-21.”

These decisions are likely to have major recruiting implications, especially for a program like Maryland that leans heavily on the DMV. As it stands presently, this year’s early signing period is expected to take place in December and National Signing Day is scheduled for Feb. 3, 2021, meaning prospective recruits will not have the benefit of playing out their senior season prior to either signing day.

A winter football schedule could also prevent already committed athletes from opting to enroll early, given they would have to spend their spring semester playing out their senior season. Such could end up being the case for 2021 three-star commit Tai Felton, as his high school in Ashburn, Virginia will be affected by the VSHL’s proposal.

In other news

Maryland football revealed the numbers its incoming freshman and transfers will be wearing next season.

Former Terps cornerback Domonique Foxworth did his thing on the defensive side of the ball in College Park and helped Maryland win a lot of games in the process.

Maryland men’s basketball announced graduate transfer forward Galin Smith will wear No. 30 next season.

The team also took fans back to the night Len Bias went off on the Tar Heels in 1986.

Maryland women’s basketball head coach Brenda Frese introduced Terp fans to graduate transfer Katie Benzan.

Maryland men’s lacrosse brought fans back to when Matt Rambo and 13 other former Terps captured the first ever Premier Lacrosse League title.