As of late, Clay Travis’ Outkick The Coverage program on Fox Sports Radio, has sounded more like something you might see on the Fox News television network. That’s because, in recent days, Travis has interviewed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and President Donald Trump.
The parade of politicians continued on Thursday morning when Travis spoke with Texas’ Republican governor Greg Abbott. The pair discussed a variety of topics in the nearly 30 minute segment, but the main focus was football, both college and prep, in the Lone Star State.
Overall, Abbott conveyed a more cautious tone about the return of football than Travis’ previous guests, including the possibility of playing games with no fans in attendance.
“While the financial aspect has to be considered, the top priority is the health and safety of the players,” he said. “We saw what can happen when you have large gatherings, so the attendance might not be as robust. We may not have any fans at all. I’ve talked to the players, and while they like having fans there, the most important thing for them is playing the game. It’s like the NBA or the MLB, once that tip or first pitch happens, they all play for the love of the game… The key word is flexibility. While I think we can determine now that it is safe to play games, we will have to wait and see how many fans can be in the stands.”
Abbott says that he and many Texans underestimated COVID and he does not want to repeat those mistakes.
“The Corona Virus is not going to wane,” Abbott said. “It is not getting weaker. It can still be transmitted and its life span is still the same. But what has happened in Texas is, we have a better understanding of it and better control. We saw a spike in Texas in early June because we thought we had COVID defeated and let our guard down. We did not. Now we have gotten a better grip on things and the numbers have started to trend downward again.”
Along with college football, Abbott addresses the state of high school football.
“High school football is not a sport. It’s a religion in Texas. We are the home of Friday Night Lights,” Abbott continued. “As we began summer workouts for high school football, we had players transmitting COVID-19, players testing positive, so some areas of the state have decided not to have a season. Some are planning modified schedules, others are planning full schedules. That’s something we have to grapple with, but we also know that football, and all sports, are vital to the well-being of the student.”
As for college football, Texas is home to five Power 5 programs throughout the Big XII and SEC. Both conferences have decided to play football this fall. Abbott applauds the decision.
“Listen, I’ve talked to all kinds of university administrators, from presidents to athletic directors to coaches,” Abbott said. “But the most important group I have spoken with are the student-athletes themselves. They want to play. They have the option not to but 99 percent want to play, and most importantly, they feel safe with the protocols that are in place. If the student-athlete feels safe, they should be allowed to play.”
