'We Want To Play' movement unsuccessful with Big Ten, Pac-12

ATLANTA - Just a day after a handful of Power 5 college football players came together and crafted a message in support of playing the 2020 season, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, two of the biggest conferences in college athletics voted to postpone fall sports.

Both the Big Ten and Pac-12 closed the door on multiple fall sports, including football, in hopes of competing in the Spring of 2021.

College football players from across the country tweeted a graphic supporting a 2020 season, along with a list of demands on Monday, as a part of the #WeWantToPlay movement. Two of the leaders of the movement are Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence and his teammate Darien Rencher, a running back for the Tigers.

"We just wanted to bring about unity," Rencher said in a Zoom call with media members on Monday night. 

"Seeing other players across the country it sounded like we were saying different things, but I felt like a lot of us wanted the same thing. We all want to play, the majority of us, and we want to do it safely. I think every generation has a responsibility to bring about change, and we want to bring about change."

"When the decisions are being made on our behalf that affects us tremendously, it would be great if we could have players' voices in there," Lawrence said.

Rencher called the movement a "hail mary" to save the season, but it obviously didn't work with the Big Ten and Pac-12. Some of the top players in the nation will now miss the opportunity to play this fall, including Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, an early Heisman Trophy favorite, and another leader of the #WeWantToPlay movement.

Fields sent a tweet indicating his disapproval at the Big Ten's decision on Tuesday.

Both the SEC and ACC released statements signaling their intention to play this fall on Tuesday afternoon.

As for the players' movement, none of the demands have directly been addressed by any Power 5 conference commissioners yet.

The creation of a College Football Players Association has gotten the most attention out of the list of wants from the players and even got a co-sign from Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney. 

When asked if he supports the idea of a players association Swinney said, "absolutely."

"I think it would be great to have a players' association," Swinney said. "That's different from a union I will say that."

Athletes from both the Big Ten and Pac-12 have created their own player-led movements over the last few weeks addressing COVID-19 safety concerns, racial justice, revenue sharing, and even threatening to sit out if their demands aren't met.