Iowa State Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell runs out with teammates prior to the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Camping World Stadium.(Photo: Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports)

Matt Campbell isnt a huge fan of playing a college football season during the spring. His brand of football starts in late August or early the first week of September. It ends in December or January.

Hes a coach, and a darn good one. Campbell willadapt to whatpeople trying to combat the coronavirus mandate because he has to.

But unlike in past years, coaches aren't in charge of college football. The virus is in charge.

If its starting what could be a very good Iowa State season Sept. 5 against South Dakota at Jack Trice Stadium, thats super. If its starting later? Thats all right, too. Conference games only? CommissionerBob Bowlsby simply responded"No," when asked Thursday if an announcement would be coming soon.

No Cy vs. Hawk? No problem. This season, whenever it starts, is about adapting. It's not about tradition.

You just stay ready, Campbell told reporters Thursday. Anywhere, anytime, anyplace has always been our motto, anyways.

Whatever comes our way, well be able to handle it. Whether thats Sept. 5, whether thats in the winter, or whether thats in the spring of 2021 our kids want to play football. Our kids want to have the opportunity to get on the football field and play. I know well be ready for that.

Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy (15) passes to a teammate during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Kansas State in Manhattan, Kan., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)(Photo: Orlin Wagner, AP)

When, however, is a gigantic question. The Ivy League announced Wednesday that it will not sponsor any fall sports. Many programs have been temporarily shut down because of positive COVID-19 tests.

Coaches, like Campbell, are doing their best to keep players minds on what they can control.Wearing masks. Staying away from social gatherings. Hunkering down in apartments when not at the football facility. Staying away from people you dont know.

Maybe itll pay off with some semblance of a season that starts in around Labor Day. Maybe. Its a topic thats been discussed everywhere the past few months. Now its even in the locker room.

As a player, you question with all this work that were putting in now, is it going to be worth it down the road? quarterback Brock Purdy wondered. Are we going to have a season? Its real. Its a real question, to be honest, that the whole team has.

College teams are working toward a normal start. What happens after thatis one of the great unknowns. Campbell spoke with reporters, by the way, before the news swirled Thursday about the Big Ten playing only conference games, which means no Cy-Hawk game for 2020.

We cant control whats going on outside, Campbell said during his first extensive interview in a while. We cant control what we dont know. What we can control is whats going on in our bubble.

You can get so caught up in everything else thats going on outside of our walls, that you can deviate from where you need to be. Where we all need to be right now is to stay ready, and prepare our young people.

Iowa State freshman running back Breece Hall breaks a tackle in the second quarter against Kansas on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019, at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames.(Photo: Bryon Houlgrave/The Register)

Just four people associated with the Iowa State football program have tested positive for COVID-19, according to a letter to fans from athletics director Jamie Pollard two weeks ago. Thats far fewer than many other Big 12 programs. All are back with the program, Campbell said.

It started with a great medical plan. It included sacrifice by players.

Those are life choices where the 21 or 22 hours (players) are not in the facility that theyre going to have to make, Campbell said. Its really easy to say that, but its hard to do that.

Were dealing with 18- to 22-year-old young people that are continuing to grow. Were continuing to educate them on what its going to take to be able to train and continue to prepare for our football season. Our kids so far have done a great job investing.

They're giving up a lot of personal sacrifice for the betterment of the whole, but they've done a great job, and I'm really proud of them.

Some players will test positive during the season, regardless of how well programs mitigate risk. Some scheduled games wont be played. Some teams may play 12 regular-season games, and some might play only conference opponents.

Theres no book for this, Campbell said.

He knows that he cant keep star players, like Purdy, in bubble wrap between now and whenever what would be his junior season ends.

We play a sport where injuries do occur, Campbell said. All 105 players are critical to your success, because you never know when your number is going to get called. That's how we built our program. And it's going to be really critical to our success going forward, whether were dealing with a virus that could hold a player out a week or two weeks, or whether you're dealing with an injury.

Purdy summed up best, the great unknowns:

The only thing we can control is whats in front of us. Whatever the calls going to be as far as having the season now, or in the spring or if were not going to have one thatll come.

To be honest, if we freak out about it right now, thats not going to do us any good.

Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson has been writingfor the Des Moines Register for parts of sixdecades. Reach him at rpeterson@dmreg.com, 515-284-8132, and on Twitter at @RandyPete. No one covers the Cyclones like the Register. Subscribe today at DesMoinesRegister.com/Deal to make sure you never miss a moment.

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Peterson: No matter the obstacles and unknowns, Matt Campbell says his Cyclones will be ready - Des Moines Register