:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67155533/usa_today_10722581.0.jpg)
The Southeastern Conference has announced new starting dates for fall football practices. Teams can now start practicing on August 17th, per the following release.
NEWS-@SEC has adjusted dates for preseason FB activities with the first allowable practice now scheduled for Aug 17. New calendar provides student-athletes with more days off than required by NCAA & fewer practices than permitted by current NCAA rules.https://t.co/6vfps274Yy
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) August 4, 2020
In the revised SEC preseason football calendar, from August 7-16 schools are permitted to conduct up to 14 hours per week of strength and conditioning, meetings and walkthroughs.
Beginning August 17 and until the opening game, schools are allowed 25 practices with a limit of 20 hours per week of practice time. A five-day acclimatization period is required, with two days in helmets only, two days in shells and the fifth day in full pads.
Schools will be required to provide student-athletes a minimum of two days off each week until the week before the first game of the season.
The conference moved to a conference-only model for the 2020 season last week, slashing all non-conference games this fall. That eliminated matchups against Charlotte, Oklahoma, Troy and Furman for Tennessee. Two additional conference matchups will be announced at a later date by the league.
The season is slated to begin on September 26th. Assuming no current scheduled dates are moved, that would mean the Volunteers would open at home against the Florida Gators.