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8 Nebraska CFB Players Sue Big Ten, Want to Reverse Decision to Postpone Season
August 27, 2020
Eight University of Nebraska football players have filed a lawsuit against the Big Ten over the conference's decision to postpone the 2020 season.
According to the Omaha World-Herald's Evan Bland, the suit filed in the District Court of Lancaster County, Nebraska, is seeking the reversal of the Big Ten's decision and "greater clarity" regarding why the decision was made.
It is alleged in the lawsuit that the postponement of the Big Ten's 2020 football season "didn't follow established procedures in the decision-making process and was unjustified based on flawed and misapplied medical information."
The Big Ten and Pac-12 have announced that they will not play college football during the fall amid the COVID-19 pandemic, while the SEC, ACC and Big 12 all plan to play in the fall.
Garrett Snodgrass, Garrett Nelson, Ethan Piper, Noa Pola-Gates, Alante Brown, Brant Banks, Brig Banks and Jackson Hannah are the eight Nebraska players who combined to file the lawsuit.
The Big Ten released the following statement in response to the lawsuit:
The players' attorney, Mike Flood, said they are not seeking any more than $75,000 in damages per player. Flood added that the lawsuit "isn't about money or damages, it's about real-life relief."
Flood called the Big Ten's decision to postpone the 2020 fall season "arbitrary and capricious," and noted that the players want to know if a vote was held, as well as what the results of the vote were.
With fall football out of the equation for the Big Ten and Pac-12, the conferences are considering the possibility of a winter or spring season depending on the environment with regard to COVID-19.
Other FBS conferences that could potentially take part in a winter or spring season include the Mid-American Conference and Mountain West Conference, which both postponed their seasons as well.
Nebraska went a disappointing 5-7 last season and has finished with a losing record in three consecutive seasons after previously making nine straight trips to a bowl game.
The Cornhuskers weren't expected to be major players in the Big Ten this season against the likes of Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan and Wisconsin, but there was excitement surrounding the season regardless due to the popularity of college football in Nebraska.
The uncertainty regarding COVID-19 and the decision by the Big Ten and Pac-12 to postpone their seasons has led to several high-profile players opting out of the 2020 season.
Among the most notable Big Ten players to opt out are Michigan offensive lineman Jalen Mayfield, Purdue wide receiver Rondale Moore, Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons and Minnesota wide receiver Rashod Bateman.
Should the Big Ten play in the winter or spring, there could be even more opt outs due to concerns over how playing could potentially impact players' stock in the 2021 NFL draft.