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By Neil B. McGahee

Managing Editor

Despite rumors to the contrary, the Crisp County Cougars plan to take to lace up the pads Monday, August 3, Crisp County Athletic Director Jimmy Hughes said.

“As of right now, we haven’t had a change,” he said. “I think a lot of that is being left up to the local systems. No one from the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) has told us that we aren’t moving forward. Today is the first day we can put on shoulder pads. We also have a home softball game this week and three games next week, so if something is going to change, someone better hurry up and do it.”

The GHSA board voted unanimously to push first-week games back from Aug. 21 to Sept. 4. The season will still have 10 games and a five-round playoff.

Mandatory practice began Friday, July 27 — helmets only — and full pads on August 1. This new timeline allows teams a full month of padded practices before kicking off the season in the first week of September. All other fall sports will start on time and not be delayed.

Several rules are in place for high school football teams including prohibiting use of locker rooms, sanitizing helmets before and after workouts, drinking only from personal water bottles and reporting positive COVID-19 test results to the GHSA.

Hughes said the biggest problem they face now is determining how many fans can attend the games.