You can add two more names to the list of higher-ups concerned over Michigan Football's spring break plans.
NCAA president Mark Emmert and ACC commissioner John Swofford have chimed in with their thoughts on the idea of practices over spring break.
First, Emmert:
NCAA prez Mark Emmert says NCAA will have April meeting focused on cutting back on time spent on athletics. Emmert believes it's too much
— Josh Kendall (@JoshatTheState) February 19, 2016
NCAA prez Emmert clearly against the spring break football trip. "There's a difference between not being prohibited and being OK."
— Josh Kendall (@JoshatTheState) February 19, 2016
Swofford's response may be the most level-headed we have seen so far. This is what he told ESPN:
"As I told someone previously, it certainly is creative thinking but I do think it flies in the face of the whole national discussion of time demands," Swofford said. "When you start considering taking a spring break away from a student-athlete and requiring a practice session wherever that might be, if we’re trying to move the student-athlete experience back toward a more collegiate experience -- and it can’t be totally like other students that aren’t involved in intercollegiate athletics it’s understood -- that would not seem consistent with the overall discussions about time demands and the student-athlete experience that’s taking place right now. At least that’s one man’s opinion."
It will be interesting to see what changes when the NCAA meets in April. Harbaugh and company are not doing anything outside of the rules, but there certainly is a discussion to be had.