LSU Football: The solution to figuring out if there should be a 2020 college football season

LSU football wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase made it clear that he wants to play in 2020.

LSU football wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase has absolutely nothing to gain by playing in 2020.

Chase, the consensus top wide receiver in the nation, will almost certainly be a top-five selection in the 2021 NFL Draft. In fact, he likely would’ve been the first wide receiver selected in the 2020 NFL Draft had he been eligible.

It would be easy for Chase to sit out the 2020 season, given the uncertainty surrounding college football amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. I don’t think anyone — not even LSU fans — would blame him for making that decision.

But Chase wants to play. He’s made it clear on several occasions he wants to play, including on Sunday night when he joined the player-led #wewanttoplay movement on Twitter.

For now, it’s unclear if Chase will get his wish. The B1G and the Pac-12 appear to be on the verge of canceling their respective seasons. The ACC and Big 12 could follow. The SEC wants to play, but will they be able to justify playing if everyone else cancels?

It’s a complex question that doesn’t have an easy answer. However, I think there’s a solution to this problem that would allow for a reasonable resolution with plenty of transparency.

The key to LSU football playing in 2020

I think the Power-5 leaders need to listen to the players. They’re the product on the field. They’re the ones putting on the show for the fans. Without the players, there is no sport.

So why not let them have a say?

Obviously the players alone can’t make the final decision. There are plenty of other folks affected by a potential season (coaches, trainers, etc). But the players need to be at the forefront of any decision.

The players’ parents, also, need to be included in any decision.

So here’s what I propose.

Each team from the SEC needs to vote for three players (and their parents) to represent the program. These three players and their families, along with the head coach, will virtually attend a public meeting with SEC commissioner Greg Sankey. At that point, the players, their families, and the head coaches will vote on how to proceed with the season.

It’s not fair for players and their families to not have a say in what happens. They’re the ones who will be affected the most by whatever decision is made. They need to be at the center of this discussion. And the discussion needs to be transparent.

It’s the only way to move forward to a solution that the majority agrees with.