As the nation begins to see success in social distancing measures, the sports world continues to question when we can realistically expect a return to play. Just this week the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees voted to suspend all in-person classes this summer and all on-campus summer camps for prospects, but college coaches and athletics directors must still game plan for a 2020 football season.

First-year Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman was on with 92.9 radio on Thursday afternoon and discussed what he considers to be a practical timeline to make sure his team is ready to play on September 5 against Nevada.

“I think if we came in and we could start by July 1, I think we could do it," Pittman said. "We’d have to amp our hours up compared to what we’ve been able to do in the past in the summer but we could be ready to go if we came in by July 1, obviously anything earlier than that would help us."

Unlike some programs in the SEC, the Razorbacks didn't get in a single day of spring football practice. Athletics director Hunter Yurachek already told the media that his goal would be to secure some "legislative relief" from the NCAA to allow Arkansas to squeeze in more practices than are typically allowed ahead of the season to help them catch up.

"I think we’ll need to have some hands-on, individual-type drills, things of that nature if we come in July 1 or later because if we don’t, we’re really, really hurting the freshmen that are newcomers coming in," Pittman said. "Obviously we don’t know our team as well, we didn’t have a day of spring ball. I think the answer is 4-6 weeks. If we have to start August 1, obviously I’m an older coach and we used to bring kids in August 1...I do believe that if we started August 1 that we could get it done and still be able to roll by Sept. 5 but I sure hope we’re able to get going by July 1, obviously safety first.”

The Razorbacks have an uphill battle playing in arguably the toughest conference in all of college football with one of the most grueling 2020 schedules of any team in the nation. Pittman stressed that this time away could impact how fast he's able to implement the culture he's trying to build in Fayetteville.

"I wanted to get to know them, they need to get to know us." Pittman said. "We have to get to where we’re ready to run through a brick wall together, you need to be around each other to get that strong trust bond.”

The Arkansas coaching staff is now allowed four hours of virtual position meetings with the players, it was originally just two hours a week, and the players must still self-motivate for their at-home workouts.

Even if the season proceeds as scheduled, it's still very much up in the air whether or not fans will be permitted at games in 2020.