another step toward uncertain football future

[aubiefifty 18,231]

Auburn set to take another step toward uncertain football future

ByPhillip Marshall

8-10 minutes

 

Manage

AUBURN, Alabama – Starting Friday, Auburn’s football players and coaches will move a step closer to something resembling normalcy.

After being sent home for almost three months when campuses across the country shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic and spring practices were canceled, players returned to campus in early June for voluntary conditioning workouts. On July 13, that changed to eight hours of conditioning, film study and meetings. On Friday, they will have 20 hours per week, including six hours of meetings, six hours of walkthroughs and eight hours of conditioning with one full day off.

Along with every other college football program, the Tigers still face an uncertain future. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey is expected to update where things stand in the coming week. With the virus continuing to spread, what the season will look like or whether it will even be played remains to be determined. Preseason camp for head coach Gus Malzahn’s eighth Auburn team is scheduled to begin on Aug. 7.

Bo Nix will be Auburn's starting quarterback for the second consecutive season.

Significant restrictions remain. All coaches meetings have been and will be on Zoom at least until the start of preseason camp. Position meetings can be in person with all participants wearing face coverings and observing social distancing. Because of social distancing requirements, full in-person team meetings have not been possible.

Auburn players have not had a taste of live football since the Outback Bowl against Minnesota on Jan. 1 and won’t until the first full-contact practice of preseason camp.

Because of NCAA guidelines, programs across the country not only have to decide who will start but who will vital backup roles. Any players who tests positive for COVID-19 will miss at least 10 days. A player who is exposed will miss 14 days, even without a positive test.

The reality is that any team could go into any game with only backups at multiple positions.

Auburn’s big questions on offense will be who will start on a rebuilt offensive line and who will back up Bo Nix at quarterback.

The candidates are redshirt freshman Cord Sandberg, a former professional baseball player who was once a 4-star recruit; junior Caylin Newton, a transfer from Howard and the younger brother of former Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton; senior Grant Loy, a graduate transfer from Bowling Green; incoming freshman Chayil Ganett; and incoming freshman Sawyer Pate, a preferred freshman walk-on from Thompson High School in Alabaster.

On the offensive line, junior center Nick Brahms and oft-injured junior tackle Austin Troxell have starting experience. Powerful junior Brodarious Hamm has experience and is a likely starter at tackle, though he could also play guard.

Other likely candidates are junior Alec Jackson, sophomore Kameron Stutts, sophomore Jalil Irvin, redshirt freshman Justin Osborne, junior Tayshawn Manning, and junior college transfers Kilian Zierer and Branden Coffey. Brandon Council is a transfer from Akron. Incoming freshmen are Jeremiah Wright, Avery Jernigan and Tate Johnson.

13COMMENTS

The defense has experience if not returning starters at almost every position. There will be an early race to see who will start at cornerback opposite junior Roger McCreary. Among the candidates are junior college transfer Marco Domio, sophomore Matthew Hill, redshirt freshman Nehemiah Prichard and senior Devan Barrett. Juniors Smoke Monday and Jamien Sherwood are expected to start at safeties and junior Christian Tutt at nickel. Senior Jordyn Peters can play safety or nickel.

Assuming the season is played, it remains uncertain what the schedule will be. Auburn’s scheduled season-opener against Alcorn State went away when the SWAC announced it would not play football this fall.

">247Sports

[JBiGGiE 2,488]

I have a feeling that this will be a very ugly-looking year for College Football.

Given the experience our defense has thanks to excellent personnel rotation... Call me crazy but I think it's possible this year's defense looks as good as -if not better than- the past few season.

That is to say, COVID may play a role in masking whatever deficiencies we might have incurred by the departures of Brown, Davidson, Thomas, Igbinoghene, and Co.

[McLoofus 35,182]

12 minutes ago, JBiGGiE said:

I have a feeling that this will be a very ugly-looking year for College Football.

Given the experience our defense has thanks to excellent personnel rotation... Call me crazy but I think it's possible this year's defense looks as good as -if not better than- the past few season.

That is to say, COVID may play a role in masking whatever deficiencies we might have incurred by the departures of Brown, Davidson, Thomas, Igbinoghene, and Co.

I think would could make this defense look a lot better is if the offense improves as it should. Except for a couple brief runs in 2016 (middle of the season) and 2017 (late in the season), our offense hasn't been particularly good for 5 years and the defense has usually had to play with its back against the wall. If we could play with a comfortable lead for a change and force offenses to take some chances, and have fewer 3-and-outs, I think it could balance out some of the departures.

[KnightTiger 205]

 MLB has experienced its first outbreak of covid not a good sign for football. marlins and phillies both having to quarrantine

[steeleagle 2,945]

3 minutes ago, KnightTiger said:

 MLB has experienced its first outbreak of covid not a good sign for football. marlins and phillies both having to quarrantine

I think one difference between the pros and college sports is that more than likely the problem with the pros is these players socialize much more at bars and nightclubs. I can remember seeing many minor league ball players at Montgomery bars after a game. I have a feeling the outbreak the Marlins had is bc these guys went out late at night and intermingled in crowded bars.

College sports tend to stay in dorms and apartments and dont' get to go to bars as much as coaches don't allow it that much. Now the problem COULD be if students are allowed back on campus. Then, these players would show up and frat and group parties after games. The worst place possible to pick up COVID-19.

If that happens college sports this fall will go into the tank...

[McLoofus 35,182]

15 hours ago, steeleagle said:

College sports tend to stay in dorms and apartments and dont' get to go to bars as much as coaches don't allow it that much. Now the problem COULD be if students are allowed back on campus. Then, these players would show up and frat and group parties after games. The worst place possible to pick up COVID-19.

The flip side of that is that they all live crowded together in dorms. 

And IMO if students aren't allowed back on campus, then it would be insanity to have college sports. If they allow that, then not only do they need to remove all restrictions on NLI stuff but they also need to just go ahead and allow schools to offer these kids contracts and salaries instead of scholarships. 

[Mikey 16,781]

These players and most of the coaches are very far away from being in the "at risk" groups. I think the measures outlined in the article are a vast over-reaction to what for them is a minimal threat. But whatever....

[jared52 4,358]

34 minutes ago, Mikey said:

These players and most of the coaches are very far away from being in the "at risk" groups. I think the measures outlined in the article are a vast over-reaction to what for them is a minimal threat. But whatever....

It's not about at-risk groups, though plenty of coaches fall into that category across the country, it's about stopping the spread. You cannot have CFB and stop the spread of COVID-19. Lots of articles have come out about how to do that and get back to relative normalcy by Oct if we started today, but it's not going to happen. Our country is far too politicized at this point to get everyone on board with the requirements. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

2 minutes ago, jared52 said:

It's not about at-risk groups, though plenty of coaches fall into that category across the country, it's about stopping the spread. You cannot have CFB and stop the spread of COVID-19. Lots of articles have come out about how to do that and get back to relative normalcy by Oct if we started today, but it's not going to happen. Our country is far too politicized at this point to get everyone on board with the requirements. 

It's amazing that reality still faces so much resistance from so many Americans. Just really astounding. And for absolutely no legitimate reason. 

[AlaskanFAN 1,666]

7 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

It's amazing that reality still faces so much resistance from so many Americans. Just really astounding. And for absolutely no legitimate reason. 

That's because we as Americans (have been and still are) still dating all the way back to when Europeans started immigrating to North America are a society that is based upon "Don't tell me what to do".  Think about it for a minute.

[AuburnNTexas 7,317]

3 minutes ago, AlaskanFAN said:

That's because we as Americans (have been and still are) still dating all the way back to when Europeans started immigrating to North America are a society that is based upon "Don't tell me what to do".  Think about it for a minute.

It is both our strength and our weakness. Independent spirit is what brought many here and what made us innovators it also at times has caused a rift as we have people on both Right and Left who won't bend even a little in the midst of a pandemic. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

20 minutes ago, AlaskanFAN said:

That's because we as Americans (have been and still are) still dating all the way back to when Europeans started immigrating to North America are a society that is based upon "Don't tell me what to do".  Think about it for a minute.

Oh, I've been thinking about it for months now. And you're exactly right.

I've thought many times about the scene in The Alamo, where John Wayne as Davy Crockett reads a letter to his men that was allegedly written by Santa Ana. The letter more or less tells them to go back to Tennessee while they still can. Crockett then tells the men that Santa Ana didn't actually write the letter. They don't care, though, because they imagine that that's what he would have written if he'd had the chance, and they unanimously decide to stay and fight. It's a humorous and charming scene in the movie, and it conjures up notions of valor. But in our current circumstances, that same mentality exists and it is tragically stupid and selfish. We might be the dumbest country on the planet.  

[Mikey 16,781]

23 hours ago, jared52 said:

It's not about at-risk groups, though plenty of coaches fall into that category across the country, it's about stopping the spread. You cannot have CFB and stop the spread of COVID-19. Lots of articles have come out about how to do that and get back to relative normalcy by Oct if we started today, but it's not going to happen. Our country is far too politicized at this point to get everyone on board with the requirements. 

We disagree. It was about flattening the curve and that's been done, for the most part. This virus is going to spread until it's over, there is no stopping it. We can slow it a little, but what slowing might result from people playing football or kids going to school is minuscule.

[Quietmaninthecorner 2,032]

12 minutes ago, Mikey said:

We disagree. It was about flattening the curve and that's been done, for the most part. This virus is going to spread until it's over, there is no stopping it. We can slow it a little, but what slowing might result from people playing football or kids going to school is minuscule.

We never flattened the curve!   We were flattening the curve.  We were so close,  but a bunch of ignorant people cried it's hurting the economy  and we had to open.  So we did.   Then a bunch of ignorant people refused to wear masks and social distance when we did open.   And here we are.    Now the economy is going to continue to tank  AND we have an out of control virus.     Your hope that this virus will burn itself out is just that.  HOPE.   Look at the science.  Research it.  don't just try to push your myopic views. 

You need to wake up .  Snap out of you tunnel vision and see the post recovery issues that YOUNG people are getting.   Even asymptomatic cases.  You seem to think your need for entertainment is more important than other's quality of life.    

remind me where that curve was "for the most part"  flat.

 

 

 

[jared52 4,358]

27 minutes ago, Mikey said:

We disagree. It was about flattening the curve and that's been done, for the most part. This virus is going to spread until it's over, there is no stopping it. We can slow it a little, but what slowing might result from people playing football or kids going to school is minuscule.

Well, based on the data that been shown recently, the curve isn't flattened across the country and there is growing pressure that things went back to normal too fast and now we are looking at 2021 as a best case to start most things back. Just like when Rudy Gobert flaunted his infection which set the avalanche of cancelations in motion, the situation with MLB could quite possibly do the same thing until a proven and agreeable treatment and/or vaccine is found. The former being the best shot as we have been told time and time again that 18 months is a best case scenario for a vaccine to be released.

[McLoofus 35,182]

11 minutes ago, Quietmaninthecorner said:

Then a bunch of ignorant people refused to wear masks and social distance when we did open. 

This is the biggest issue now, I think. People continuing to refuse to act responsibly. Maybe it's because they're ignorant enough to think we flattened the curve. AYFKM??

[CleCoTiger 1,957]

1 hour ago, Mikey said:

We disagree. It was about flattening the curve and that's been done, for the most part. 

Say what? Have you not noticed record numbers of infections, deaths near or above 1000 a day and hospitals reporting that they were in emergency mode because they were out of space?

[McLoofus 35,182]

18 minutes ago, CleCoTiger said:

Say what? Have you not noticed record numbers of infections, deaths near or above 1000 a day and hospitals reporting that they were in emergency mode because they were out of space?

It's become clear at this point that facts, evidence, science, etc mean nothing to half the nation. 

[Sizzle 3,948]

On 7/28/2020 at 9:48 AM, AlaskanFAN said:

That's because we as Americans (have been and still are) still dating all the way back to when Europeans started immigrating to North America are a society that is based upon "Don't tell me what to do".  Think about it for a minute.

Which is sad because this thought process is killing a lot of people but as long as covid doesn’t affect somebody personally then they won’t care

[Mikey 16,781]

13 hours ago, Quietmaninthecorner said:

remind me where that curve was "for the most part"  flat.

It's flattened enough to be manageable, which was the objective. The objective was not to keep every single person from dying or to keep most people from ever getting sick. The virus is going to have it's run through the population sooner or later and no amount of masks, etc. will stop that from being the end result.

Responsible pediatric groups strongly recommend sending kids back to school and the CDC concurs. Do you know more about the situation than they do?

[Quietmaninthecorner 2,032]

1 hour ago, Mikey said:

It's flattened enough to be manageable, which was the objective

no it wasn't,  and no it is not.      

[McLoofus 35,182]

Sign of the times when the view of the inside of one's own ass is preferable to reality. 

[auskip07 930]

On 7/28/2020 at 10:48 AM, AlaskanFAN said:

That's because we as Americans (have been and still are) still dating all the way back to when Europeans started immigrating to North America are a society that is based upon "Don't tell me what to do".  Think about it for a minute.

There are advantages to that mentality.   Unfortunately there are disadvantages.    So far its served Americans well 

[JBiGGiE 2,488]

FWIW in 1918-1919 there were an est. 650,000 deaths from the Spanish Flu in the US. (https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/1918-commemoration/1918-pandemic-history.htm)

College Football looked a lot different at the time as some teams like Texas played as many as 9 games in the 1918 season, while many others played 2 or 3 if they even fielded a team at all. The "Great War" also contributed to this.

Doing some math, Covid-19 deaths have averaged about 25,000/month while Spanish Flu averaged about 27,083/month. Now I'm not an epidemiologist, but even if we assume that the death rate remains constant one could argue that Covid-19 is at least as deadly as Spanish Flu was (notwithstanding the biological mechanisms or affected demographics). Personally my research into Spanish Flu would lead me to believe it was more dangerous to society than even our current pandemic. Looking purely from a macro-analytical view, precedence would suggest that these numbers are acceptable with respect to continue societal operations.

I do sympathize with the current 150,000 deaths and I don't wish to persuade anyone into being less empathetic to the disaster at hand, but my point is: The world did not stop moving for the Spanish Flu and in fact College Football was encouraged to continue it's contests as a form of morale boosting (granted that was mostly with respect to the War). But were we somehow less sympathetic as a society in 1918? Did we have less motivation and/or capacity to combat the Spanish Flu relative to Covid-19 and today's technologies?

I would argue that perhaps we were just more realistic in 1918. Quarantines and masks and distancing are not a new inventions yet we have similar numbers today and (as of this morning's reporting) our economy is 32% worse than it was 3 months ago. So what are we doing this for?