Canzano: Pac-12 Conference lacked urgency until it didn’t -- may have cost the Oregon Ducks - OregonLive

The Pac-12 acted with the urgency of a slug in the last couple of weeks.

Maybe because it’s being led by one.

The Governors in California and Oregon took turns throwing pinches of salt on conference commissioner Larry Scott on Wednesday. Gov. Gavin Newsom in California shot down Scott and said he wasn’t standing in the way of the resumption of Pac-12 football and called any claim otherwise, “a misrepresentation of the facts.”

Later, Charles Boyle, a spokesperson in Oregon for Gov. Kate Brown let loose: “Let me stress that, up to this point, we have received no written operating procedures for approval from the Pac-12 for the upcoming season under the new guidance, and we have no details from the conference about their new rapid testing proposal. Until we have those details, we can’t move forward in the process.”

There apparently wasn’t a pressing desire to play football until the Pac-12 realized it had been left alone by the Big Ten. But I’m left wondering why the Pac-12 made such a big splash about rapid-results testing a couple of weeks ago, then followed up by taking a nap.

Scott called the partnership with Quidel a “game changer” on Sept. 3. He indicated that the conference suddenly had the ability to conduct daily rapid testing. It was cost effective, too. Conference coaches immediately began speculating that they might test athletes prior to morning meetings, then have a result before the meeting broke. It was all exciting stuff.

The breakthrough should have logically been followed by immediate written requests in Oregon and California to clear the deck for a possible return to play. After all, the Pac-12 athletic departments have essentially spent the last six months in furlough and layoff hell, letting anyone who would listen know that without football they were about to land $60 million short.

Why was nothing done?

Where was the leadership?

There’s no way the Pac-12 didn’t see the Big Ten Conference’s decision to play coming, either. The presidents of that conference held an emergency meeting over the weekend. One of them accidentally leaked the news in front of an open mic. It’s why Wednesday was so blasted puzzling. Because Scott and his conference looked unaware, unprepared, and they collectively lacked any semblance of alacrity.

The Pac-12 presidents and chancellors will meet on Friday. It was a previously scheduled event. Scott issued a news release Wednesday afternoon, which was essentially a bowl of word salad. He went on ESPN’s SportsCenter late in the day where the commissioner pointed out that Pac-12 athletes, coaches and administrators all wanted to play.

“We still need approval from the local health officials in the counties in California and Oregon,” Scott said. And then he didn’t break stride, adding, “but we’re going to push the envelope.”

Wait.

They’re going to... push the envelope?

Now?

I don’t know where you stand on Pac-12 athletes returning to play. Maybe you believe they have no business on the field. Maybe you think if it can be done safely, it should be done. But if the Pac-12 Conference wanted to play football the silliest reason possible to rush back on the field is simply because everyone else was doing it. But that’s essentially what happened and the scramble on Wednesday underscored the need for true leadership at the top of the conference.

“Move, Larry.”

“Say something.”

“Do something.”

I kept thinking that in the last couple of weeks. On Wednesday morning, I said it out loud a couple of times. The Big Ten apparently thinks Ohio State is so good that it lined up an eight-week, eight-game schedule that ends a day before the College Football Playoff selection committee will pick its four teams.

That’s not a coincidence. That’s urgency, people. That conference is trying to will its way into the $6 million windfall that comes from one of its teams making the national semifinals.

It’s disappointing that the Pac-12 felt like it could safely play weeks ago, but didn’t apparently fight as hard for Oregon and its other candidates to be considered for the playoff. In fact, five days after the conference announced it had rapid results testing, Mario Cristobal publicly expressed some frustration.

“Guys have decisions to make. That’s the part that is difficult,” the Oregon coach said. "The way it stands right now, (if there was a December or January start) the Pac-12 would be excluded from national championship consideration.

“That’s what a lot of guys are struggling with because they all felt like we had a good team.”

The Ducks were talented and deep. They had a big-time coach, a big-time roster, and a big-time shot at the playoff. The Rose Bowl last season and 12 wins felt like the precursor to something bigger.

Didn’t the Pac-12 think so?

The Pac-12 is now rushing to get back on the field and begin practicing. Southern California Counties have cleared the way for USC and UCLA. The governors in Oregon and California say they won’t stand in the way of a return. But Oct. 31 or Nov. 7 appear to be the earliest opportunity for the conference to suit up.

It’s going to be a tight squeeze to get five or six games in before the playoff committee meets. Now, the best chance the Pac-12 Conference has to make the playoff is not just to have a team worthy of it, but also to hope the playoff will reset the entire calendar.

It’s all so puzzling, isn’t it?

Oregon’s Outland Trophy winner Penei Sewell opted out of the 2020 season to prepare for the NFL Draft. Then, defensive backs Deommodore Lenoir and Thomas Graham did the same. It was the right move if they weren’t going to play games until the winter. There’s no telling now if any of them would opt back in, or if the NCAA would even allow it. But Scott’s “push the envelope” posturing on national television on Wednesday night was laughable.

He should have had his foot on the gas weeks ago.

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