SEC, Gators suspend spring football practice and game

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- As media members waited for Scott Stricklin to arrive, the Southeastern Conference made the decision that all organized team activities will be suspended.

"Competitions, team and individual practices, meetings and other organized gatherings, will be suspended through Apr. 15," released the SEC in a tweet. "The SEC had previously announced all competition was suspended through Mar. 30."

"The Florida athletic department is closing all team areas in its athletic facilities until at least April 15, with the exception of its sports health & academic advising units," added Florida in a press release. "The department will continue to provide health, nutrition, mental health counseling and academic support during this time."

The Gators spring game is officially to be determined. The game was originally scheduled to be played on April 18, however, in his presser with the media, Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin reopening things up immediately on April 15 may be "optimistic."

So the spring football game is in flux.

"Obviously we’re not going to go through normal spring ball as we had scheduled and we’re probably not going to have a spring game on April 18. Beyond that, we’re not in a position to make definitive comments.

"There's no manual for any of this," Stricklin told reporters. "The way the football calendar works now they're here pretty much all the time. So whether we try to squeeze in a spring ball late spring, early summer, whether the NCAA will allow us to start practices earlier in the fall, assuming we have a fall, those are things we need to figure out.

"You want everyone to have as much preparation as possible, and you want everybody to be as equitable as possible with how much preparation they have. Once things are in place we can figure out how that happens."

There is a possibility that spring football could return before the end of the spring semester, but of course that depends on a lot of factors.

“ For that point, especially the sport of football. That calendar works now, they’re here pretty much all the time," he explained. "So whether we try to squeeze in spring ball late spring, early summer, whether the NCAA works with everybody to start practices earlier in the fall – assuming we’re able to have a fall – those are things that we need to figure out. You want everyone to have as much preparation as possible for the season and you want everybody to be as equitable as possible with how much preparation they have. As long as those two things are in place, we can figure out when that happens.”

This news come on the heals of several noticeable cancelations around the sports world. The NCAA has already canceled the winter and spring national championships, while the SEC has also suspended all spring competitions.

The NCAA on Friday banned in-person recruiting until at least April 15.