ACC Commish Swofford Anticipating Fall Football; Clemson Not Cutting Pay

ACC commissioner John Swofford offered Clemson and college football fans hope Thursday when he said there are many options on the table due to COVID-19 shutdown, but the conference is moving forward with the idea of playing football in the fall as long as students are on campus.

John Swofford offered a strong sign of hope for Clemson and college football fans, players and coaches Thursday.

The ACC commissioner told reporters during a virtual press conference that the league is moving forward with the plan of playing college football this fall.

Swofford said it's "premature" to discuss what would happen if some ACC schools could play and others were unable based on local COVID conditions. However...

"I don't think some schools not being able to compete necessarily keeps the majority who could compete from competing."

— Johnny McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) May 14, 2020

"We are going into this year with the anticipation of playing at this point," Swofford said after wrapping up the conference's spring meetings. "All of our institutions are indicating they intend to open in various fashions as we go into the fall, but there’s a lot that can happen between now and then."

While Swofford is aware that progress still needs to be made as the country comes back from quarantines and sports shutdowns because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said it's going to be a "fascinating summer" as the league determines options to both play and not play. 

For now, though, the thought is to continue getting ready for the season, which begins Sept. 3 for Clemson when the Tigers visit Georgia Tech. 

Swofford wouldn't discuss options if there are league members that can't be ready to play while others are because of local and state health issues, but he isn't ruling out the idea of a disjointed ACC season. 

"I don't think some schools not being able to compete necessarily keeps the majority who could compete from competing," Swofford said.

That's both a promising and confusing statement, as it's hard to know what the league would look like if teams in Southern states like Clemson are more prepared to play than more metropolitan areas like Boston and Miami. 

Brett McMurphy of Stadium floated the idea Wednesday that some conferences have already begun talking about playing multiple games against teams in their own leagues if necessary. 

Some conference schools already are having preliminary discussions w/their other conference members about possible home/home series this year, in case all of their league members can’t play, sources told @Stadium

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) May 13, 2020

It's unknown if the ACC is one of those conferences, but Swofford was clear on one point: If students can't be on campus, it's going to be awfully hard to play football. 

"That seems foreign to me, personally," Swofford said. "Intercollegiate athletics is students playing sports. We have to wait and see. Most people I talk with in intercollegiate athletics and higher education agree that that's a foreign thought to most of us.

"If campuses are back and generally operating and teaching in whatever way, that certainly improves the likelihood that games are being played."

Clemson University officials have said the school is working toward bringing students back on campus for fall classes in some manner. 

Swofford also added Thursday that the ACC will distribute 98 percent of its planned payments to schools from the 2019-20 fiscal year. ESPN has already paid in full it's obligations to the league from their television contract, which should help ACC athletic programs withstand some of the financial crises during the pandemic. 

Louisville has already had its coaches take a salary reduction, while other schools, like Boise State, have instituted furloughs. 

At Clemson, athletic director Dan Radakovich says that hasn't happened. 

"At this time, no full-time employee at Clemson University has been subject to pay cuts or furloughs," Radakovich wrote in a statement to AllClemson.com.