The coronavirus pandemic has already killed the State Fair of Texas and put the Texas-Oklahoma Red River Showdown in doubt, but now it is threatening another hallowed Texas tradition...high school football. Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa caused a minor uproar last week when he commented "I seriously doubt" there will be a high school football season this year. The University Interscholastic League (UIL) pushed back in a statement saying football was still set for the fall "at this time," but that they "continue to monitor the situation."
Todd Freed, who covers high school sports for Houston's KUBE TV, says the entire situation is definitely murky. "I think we will (have a season)...but I feel confident to say it's going to be delayed, whether that's going to be two weeks, three weeks, four weeks," he tells KTRH. "It's a mess because in Austin their school districts have already announced they're cancelling the first few weeks of school, and nobody seems to know for sure what's going to happen at this point."
Gary Joseph, head football coach and athletic director at Katy High School, agrees there is a lot of uncertainty right now, but believes we should do everything possible to have a season if it can be done safely. "Everybody's got a little pride in their schools, pride in their football team," he tells KTRH. "Right now we need some healing with our kids and with our schools, and I think (having a season) will help."
"A lot of kids wait their whole life to be a part of a team their senior year, to be on a varsity football team," says Joseph. "To take that away from them, I think it may be too early to do something like that."
The UIL did not respond to KTRH's request for comment.