MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – It's certainly not the be-all, end-all for college football this fall and beyond, but a new product manufactured by Schutt Sports called the "Splash Shield" might help protect players from exposure to the coronavirus during competition.
 
The Splash Shield, according to a story posted earlier this week on The Athletic, is being touted by Schutt Sports as a means to "block exposure to droplets and the spread of COVID-19 or other diseases."
 
It's a two-part shield that can attach to any football helmet.
 
The company began working on the product in May when the pandemic shut down the country and it announced in June that it would be ready for usage by late July.
 
Schutt has been using a semiprofessional football team located near its St. Louis headquarters to test the product.
 
In theory, the Splash Shield sounds like a logical way to help protect players from spreading germs during close contact.
 
Many schools have expressed interest in the product and have already made advance orders, but there are still a lot of obstacles for some to overcome.
 
For instance, schools such as West Virginia, which use Riddell helmets, may not be able to install the Splash Shield on its helmets because of liability and warranty concerns.
 
In regard to Riddell helmets, products developed by other manufactures, such as the Splash Shield, are considered "add-ons" by the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE), meaning they must undergo rigorous testing to meet NOCSAE standards.
 
Of course, teams already using Schutt helmets are free to install the Splash Shield because it is not considered a third-party add-on.
 
For the Riddell helmet teams, it's almost like pounding a square peg into a round hole.
 
Hopefully, some of these issues can be ironed out, or, Riddell can quickly develop a similar product that can help protect players from getting exposed to germs while in close contact.
 
Some sort of face shield attached to the helmet does seem necessary for the players with the virus still spreading.
 
As an aside, The Athletic story also indicated there will likely be other interesting safety modifications in store for college football to help protect its participants when play begins.
 
Some type of face covering will be mandatory for everyone on the sidelines and the team sideline box could be expanded significantly to promote appropriate social distancing, perhaps spanning to each 15-yard line.
 
Different times, for sure.