Tennessee Vols: Phillip Fulmer statement on SEC reopen date

The Tennessee Vols athletic director says how the Volunteers will handle the Southeastern Conference’s reopening date amid COVID-19.

Last Friday, rumors were swirling that Tennessee Vols athletic director Phillip Fulmer was the one voice against the SEC reopening on June 1 after the conference’s shutdown due to coronavirus scheduled to last through May 31. As we wrote then, his proposed compromise was a June 15 return date.

Well, in the middle of this past week, the NCAA began the process of reopening, noting that it will allow student athletes in football, basketball and women’s basketball to return to campus with restrictions on June 1. On Friday, the SEC then announced it would allow voluntary in-person athletics activities beginning June 8.

According to the league, the level of activities allowed will be up to each university with specific safety guidelines and personnel in place. Athletic director Phillip Fulmer released a statement, which can be read here on UTSports, about athletes preparing for a return to a “new normal.” Here’s a bit of what he said.

"“In the coming days, we’ll execute procedures enabling student-athletes to return, with members of our football program being the first to arrive. We will conduct screening leading up to the resumption of activities on June 8.”"

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Fulmer noted that the Tennessee Vols will be changing the way everybody can access the university’s facilities. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a “healthy environment” for everybody involved.

Although we still don’t know how things will pan out going forward, the NCAA’s decision, the SEC’s decision and the acceptance of both decisions by guys like Fulmer are all encouraging signs. Obviously, fans desperately want football to return this fall, so any developments to make that happen is encouraging to everybody.

Should workouts resume June 8, then that gives athletes five weeks to condition themselves before SEC Media Days is schedule to take place. Of course, we’re not sure if SEC Media Days will take place, as this is all a slow process.

Still, this is all big news for the Tennessee Vols, the SEC and college football as a whole. We’ll have to wait and see what takes place going forward. But at least there is some movement among all the organizations involved at the moment.