KSR SOURCES: In SEC AD meeting, Phil Fulmer was sole voice speaking out against reopening athletic facilities

The presidents and chancellors of the 14 universities in the Southeastern Conference will vote on whether or not to lift the league-wide ban on team activities one week from today, but KSR is hearing there is some dissent among SEC athletic directors on when players should return to campus to begin training for football season.

Sources tell KSR that SEC athletic directors met virtually on Wednesday to discuss lifting restrictions on team activities, practices, and other organized gatherings, which currently run through May 31. The vast majority of the athletic directors supported allowing players to return to campuses on June 1; however, one athletic director spoke out against it, arguing that the ban should be in place indefinitely: Tennessee’s Phil Fulmer. After discussing it with the group, Fulmer proposed the date of June 15, but many believed that was too late for players to be ready to start the season on schedule. From there, the discussion was tabled for next week.

The final decision will be up to university presidents and chancellors on May 22, but the league’s athletic directors want to present a unified front. Had Fulmer not spoken up, the assumption is the group would have given the presidents an unanimous recommendation to lift the restrictions to allow players to return to campuses June 1, with a vote possibly taking place earlier than May 22. We’ll find out what will happen for sure one week from today.