‘It will look a lot different’: C.O. high school football still in limbo

(Update: Adding video, comments from C.O. athletic director, football coach, Peter Weber)

OSAA Executive Board hopes for new state guidance in the next few days

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Oregon high schools got the green light Monday to resume non-contact football practices.

But with contact sports still banned by the Oregon Health Authority, the Oregon School Activities Association approved alternatives to the traditional 11-on-11 football.

OSAA Executive Director Peter Weber told NewsChannel 21 on Monday, "Well, it will look a lot different.”

The OSAA approved schools to play 7-on-7 and flag football, which are allowed under current restrictions during a meeting of its executive board. It stopped short of deciding if a potential spring football season could happen.

Mountain View High School Athletic Director Lance Haas said, "We get a chance to first and foremost, play contact football. I'm excited about that, that they didn't just jump off to a decision."

Haas said this was a good compromise, with the OSAA waiting for new guidance regarding contact sports from the Oregon Health Authority as soon as this week.

"I think for us, the focus was on trying to provide options," Weber said.

Lineman, who would be excluded from 7-on-7, can particpate in a virtual combine.

Weber was hopeful the alternatives will only be temporary.

"Given our discussions with the governor's office and the OHA, we anticipate some changes to the contact sports guidance,” he said. “We don't know what those are going to be."

That leaves coaches, like Bend High School’s Matt Craven, in limbo.

"We're just going to proceed like the season is going to happen,” Craven said. “But the uncertainty definitely hangs out there."

He was frustrated the announcement is deferred again.

"People just want to know,” Craven said. “If we're going to do it, let's do it. If we're not going to do it, tell us what we can do, and we'll do that."

In the meeting, the OSAA also approved soccer and cross-country to start practice on Feb. 22. Volleyball can start that day as well, but only in counties lower than those labeled "Extreme Risk" by the OHA (Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson remain in that risk level, for now).