The practice fields behind Auburn’s athletics complex are silent this week. The typically bustling indoor practice facility is vacant. There are no weights clanging in “The Factory,” either.
Spring football at Auburn was set to begin on Monday, but that was put on an indefinite hiatus amid the concerns about the spreading coronavirus pandemic, which prompted the NCAA to cancel all remaining championship events this spring and the SEC to discontinue all team-related activities through at least April 15. Instead, Auburn’s coaches are all sheltered in their respective homes, working remotely to maintain operations of the program, while players have all returned home for the time being, their focus mostly on remote instruction academically.
Football, understandably, is on the backburner.
“We’re going through unprecedented times right now,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. “It seems like everything is changing daily.”
That change began Thursday, when the SEC first implemented its mandate to pause competition and practices and Auburn’s coaches relayed that information to players, telling them to go home after spring break instead of reporting back to campus for the start of spring practices. How long this rapidly changing environment lasts remains to be seen, but for now, at least, it means a spring without football in a town that’s crazy about it.
With spring practice canceled, and the A-Day game with it, Auburn loses out on 15 practices that typically serve as a crucial period for early enrollees (the Tigers have 10 of them this year, including prized running back signee Tank Bigsby), younger players vying for spots on the depth chart and prior role players looking to step into more prominent spots following the departure of seniors and other starters from the year before.
In the case of Auburn, that includes what would have been a critical stretch of practices for its offensive line, which needs to identify four new starters — at both tackle spots and each guard position — while incorporating a new position coach in Jack Bicknell Jr. The offense as a whole, while returning starting quarterback Bo Nix and several skill players around him, it also prevents the Tigers from an opportunity to work on field with new offensive coordinator Chad Morris as he installs his offense — which, although from the same tree as Malzahn’s scheme, uses different terminology.
Of course, players will still be able to familiarize themselves with their playbooks while away from the facility, but they won’t get the in-person instruction and mental reps on the field that they’d typically be afforded this time of year.
“When it is time to, as far as the football goes and the installs and all that, we’re definitely prepared to do that online, away from the place,” Malzahn said. “But like I said, this week, until it’s the proper time, this is going to be focused on the health and safety of our players.”
For now, Malzahn and his staff are more concerned with making sure Auburn’s players are safe and healthy. Coaches have made daily contact with players to check up on them and communicate new information and developments as needed. None of them have exhibited any symptoms of coronavirus yet, Malzahn said, and their wellbeing is the primary concern amid this unprecedented stoppage in sports.
The program expects to take things week by week, and Malzahn — who said the staff will hold meetings every Monday and Friday to discuss plans — expects to next week begin to figure out how to put together remote workout plans for players while they’re away from campus and do not have access to weight rooms, local gyms or their high school gyms back home — many of which have closed down out of precaution amid the virus’ spread.
“At the right times, we’ll be prepared to move forward with that,” Malzahn said. “But right now, with the social distancing and everything, weight rooms aren’t where you’re supposed to be. So, each week, we will come up with different plans that are appropriate at the appropriate times.”
Though football is an afterthought at this time, Malzahn — like many coaches across the country — is holding out hope that a delayed spring period may eventually come, whether it’s after the current April 15 date or perhaps sometime during the summer, if things have cleared up by then. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said Wednesday he’s not “overly optimistic” about a return to practice looming, adding that there’s a “pretty narrow” window to try to fit it in.
“I think everybody around the country would say they’re definitely hoping that there will be some type of things like that, but we’ll be prepared in any way, no matter what happens,” Malzahn said. “I think you have to be prepared for anything at this point. We’re definitely hopeful, so we’ll see what happens.”
First, though, Malzahn wants things to settle down and get a sense of normalcy before any of that is addressed. Of course, he’d love to have those 15 practices with his team—and he seemed open, at least, to the possibility of an extra practice period added in June or July, before the start of fall camp, if that’s how long it takes for this quarantine period to end.
Those discussions will come, of course, and all possibilities are “on the table” as far as that goes. Until then, Auburn’s practice facility will remain empty. The doors to the Tigers’ athletics complex will remain locked, and football will take a backseat to the wellbeing of the team, community and society.
“I think, common sense, you'd like to be able to have your spring ball,” Malzahn said. “But, like I said — I know I sound like a broken record — but I think it's best right now to focus on the health and safety of our players. It's getting through the next couple of weeks and whatever goes with that. But, like I said, common sense for every coach in America, is that they'll want to get as many practices as they can get before the start of the season. I just don't think it's an appropriate time, right now, to get into all that.”
Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.
"football" - Google News
March 19, 2020 at 10:35PM
https://ift.tt/2Wux20g
The impact of a lost spring for Auburn football due to coronavirus pandemic - AL.com
"football" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2ST7s35
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "The impact of a lost spring for Auburn football due to coronavirus pandemic - AL.com"
Posting Komentar