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‘You could see it coming’: Valparaiso University’s remaining games removed from schedule after Pioneer Football League cancels season

The word “tough” kept coming from the mouth of Valparaiso University quarterback Chris Duncan.

“You could see it coming,” he said. “But when it actually happens, you’re still pretty heartbroken. It’s tough … really tough.”

Those were the initial thoughts from the Crusaders’ 6-foot-4, 195-pound redshirt senior after the Pioneer Football League announced Friday morning that it will not have conference competition this fall due to the coronavirus pandemic, effectively canceling the remaining games on VU’s schedule.

In late July, the PFL eliminated nonconference games from its schedule and said any potential season would not start until Sept. 26.

Friday’s announcement came after weeks of conversations, according to VU athletic director Mark LaBarbera.

“First and foremost, it has to do with the health and safety of the kids and the broader community,” he said. “With the way the PFL is laid out, some of the states are in communities with travel restrictions. And when you start bringing large groups of people onto your campus, you have to be concerned about everyone’s health and safety.”

The news was not a surprise to coach Landon Fox, who said his staff has been preparing plans for every hypothetical situation since March.

“In the back of our minds, we always knew that this was a possibility,” Fox said. “We were preparing for anything. I’m just disappointed for our players, in terms of them not getting a chance to compete this fall.”

With no games currently on the schedule, Fox said the Crusaders will adapt a practice schedule similar to what they’d do in a typical spring session — something that didn’t happen for VU this spring, another effect of the pandemic.

Both Fox and LaBarbera said they’re still exploring options for some form of intercollegiate competition this fall.

“We’re not ruling anything out at this point,” LaBarbera said. “The full season isn’t going to happen, but there could be something in the late fall months. We’ll look at every option.”

Intercollegiate games in the spring remain another option, although LaBarbera called a full spring schedule “unrealistic” due to the lack of recovery time before the 2021 fall season.

“There are some options we could look at that give them the opportunity to compete in the spring while also protecting their eligibility,” he said.

Not losing a year of eligibility remains one concern for underclassmen. But for seniors like Duncan — the Crusaders’ returning starter under center — there’s the problem of how to approach a football season next fall when graduation would arrive first.

Duncan, who’s in a one-year MBA program for this school year as a graduate student, said it was too early for him to make any decisions on his future.

“It’s a tough scenario,” he said. “I don’t know. … I can’t really say (what my decision is) right now. I still have to talk with my family about it.”

For Fox, the program’s focus shifts to managing the talent on the roster.

“Our program is built around player development,” he said. “The more we can have our players around, the better chance we have to be successful.”

Fox acknowledged the challenge of keeping players motivated without games on the schedule but said they’re selling the bigger picture during this uncertainty.

“We want to make this the best experience of their lives,” Fox said. “And it’s not just football games. It’s our program as a whole. We want them to enjoy the journey every day. We want them to be enjoying the experience.”

Dave Melton is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.