HBCU Sports
  • SECTIONS
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Baseball
    • Softball
    • Volleyball
    • Track & Field
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Bowling
    • Other Sports
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Features
  • BANDS
  • PODCASTS
  • FORUMS
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • DONATE
No Result
View All Result
HBCU Sports
  • SECTIONS
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Baseball
    • Softball
    • Volleyball
    • Track & Field
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Bowling
    • Other Sports
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Features
  • BANDS
  • PODCASTS
  • FORUMS
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • DONATE
No Result
View All Result
HBCU Sports
No Result
View All Result

Home Football

Update: Alcorn State to opt-out of 2021 spring football season

Kendrick Marshall by Kendrick Marshall
February 2, 2021
3
Alcorn State wins SWAC

Photo: Alcorn State Athletics

8.1k
VIEWS

You might also like

Prairie View beats Alcorn State on walk-off field goal

Take a look: Here are the top 5 HBCU band halftime shows from Week 3

HBCU Football – Week 4: Top 5 games to watch this weekend

Update: Alcorn made it official on Tuesday by formally announcing that it will opt-out of its 2021 spring football schedule.

“Due to concerns and uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and the upcoming spring football season, we have determined opting out is our best course of action,” said Derek Horne, the school’s athletic director, in a statement. “This is indeed a difficult decision, and I’m especially mindful this will be disappointing news to our student-athletes, along with our dedicated fans and supporters.

“The football program is our largest sport and involves over half our student-athletes on campus, and a decision of this magnitude is also made with the best interests of the community in mind,” added Horne. “We looked forward to defending our conference title; however, in these unprecedented times, the safety of the players, coaches, staff, and fans is our top priority.”

Head coach Fred McNair said the group will prepare to play in the fall.

“Instead of preparing for spring competition, the program will move forward with traditional spring practice to prepare for fall play,” said McNair. “With ongoing health and safety protocols in place, the team will continue with monitored conditioning, strength training, and practices.”

Previous reporting on Alcorn State’s decision appears below.


 Alcorn State, the reigning SWAC champions, will not defend its title after a report indicated the football program will opt out of the 2021 spring season because of coronavirus issues.

On Tuesday night, Football Scoop reported that Alcorn State had been in “discussions for several days” on not participating in the spring amid concerns with COVID-19.

“Amidst concerns for the virus, as well as the rural nature of the traditional HBCU school in Lorman, Mississippi, players and school leaders in recent days worked together to solidify their intention to have Alcorn “opt-out” of the never-before-seen spring campaign,” the website reported.

Alcorn is the first school from the SWAC to opt-out and the fourth FCS HBCU to forgo a shortened spring campaign. Florida A&M, Bethune-Cookman and North Carolina Central — all of the MEAC — decided to prepare to play a full fall schedule.

Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland said during SWAC Media Day that the conference anticipated disruptions at points during the shortened spring season, but would be prepared to make adjustments as needed.

Read: ‘The answer to that is simply yes’: Spring football will begin as scheduled, SWAC Commissioner says

“We do anticipate some stoppages within football in the game we have a contingency plan to do so,” said McClelland. “The good thing is we’re not participating in the playoffs. We are participating only in the (SWAC) championship game so it gives us greater flexibility to be able to make that adjustment as far as stoppages are concerned.

“I would just reiterate what we said before, COVID-19 is going to dictate what we do and how we do it. We’re going to follow the advisement of our medical advisory committee and the boots on the ground.”

When asked about the challenges of attempting to get his players and staff ready for a season with only weeks before games officially begin, Alcorn State head coach Fred McNair described the situation as delicate.

“As coaches, you’re really not comfortable,” he said. “It is a touchy situation for me as a coach because I am about the young men that we mentor and about their well-being. With COVID-19 and social distancing, there is a lot of concern.”



Tags: Alcorn State
Kendrick Marshall

Kendrick Marshall

Kendrick Marshall is an award-winning journalist and a graduate of Jackson State University.

Next Post
South Carolina State Hands Houston Its Second Loss To An HBCU With 71-63 Win

South Carolina State cancels remainder of women's basketball season due to injury concerns

Comments 3

  1. Pingback: Norfolk State latest HBCU program to nix spring football slate, cite COVID-19 concerns in decision
  2. Pingback: Alcorn State to forfeit spring games, will play some scheduled fall home contests on road, SWAC announces
  3. Pingback: Though finally relieved to play, Connell Maynor suggests more games might be impacted by COVID-19

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending Posts

  • Former North Carolina A&T running back says school ‘sold out’ HBCU culture in move out of MEAC
  • Tomekia Reed was not happy how Jackson was portrayed in 60 Minutes’ Deion Sanders feature
  • Alabama State football player suspended for striking security guard
  • Jackson State football players explain what’s different in post-Deion Sanders era
  • Jackson State women’s soccer player makes Tigers football history
  • T.C. Taylor responds to 60 Minutes depiction of Jackson: ‘It gave a bad look’
  • Here is what Eddie Robinson Jr. said about incident involving Alabama State football player
  • The Magic City Classic could be in jeopardy. Here’s why
  • FAMU band Take a look: Here are the top 5 HBCU band halftime shows from Week 3
  • Jackson State tight end Hayden Hagler received death threats after Celebration Bowl

RSS HBCU Sports Forums

  • 2023 HBCU D1 FB Game Picks Week 5
  • 2023 Swac Football Game Attendance - Week 4
  • Prairie View A&M vs Alcorn State Game Updates: 6:00pm CT
  • I Know Deion Not SWAC But Look at What He Did
  • Dallas mayor switches parties, making the city the nation's largest with a GOP mayor
  • MVSU 2023
  • 2023 SWAC Press Confernce - Week 5
  • Larry Elders - Black Folk's Problems come from Fatherlessness (70%), not Systemic Racism
  • Alabama State vs Florida A&M Game Updates: 5:00pm CT
  • Power Book IV: Force
  • TERMS & CONDITIONS
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • COMMENT POLICY
  • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
 CONTACT US

© 2023 RASHAD MEDIA - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
PARTNER OF IONE DIGITAL / CASSIUS NETWORK

No Result
View All Result
  • SECTIONS
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Baseball
    • Softball
    • Volleyball
    • Track & Field
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Bowling
    • Other Sports
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Features
  • BANDS
  • PODCASTS
  • FORUMS
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • DONATE

© 2023 RASHAD MEDIA - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
PARTNER OF IONE DIGITAL / CASSIUS NETWORK

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

X