Nobody knows when football will return to college campuses but it will return at some point.
But for now, things are limited to essentially virtual positon and team meeting sessions for eight hours per week. Players are still able to work out on their own but the coaching staffs cannot monitor what is unfolding with those sessions.
Things are further complicated by each player having varying access to gyms or equipment in order to remain in playing condition when they do return to Morgantown.
So with limited football activities ongoing until at least the end of May, how do coaches get an idea of where players stand in regards to highly contested position battles like at quarterback?
Short answer, there is no way for coaches to clear up those battles until football does resume whenever that will be but players can put themselves in a good position by taking care of business. That’s because those players that focus on conditioning and learning the playbook are already elevating their standing.
The individual players on their own time will have a say on who is in the best position when things get back to normal in regards to football. It’s a unique time, but one that could prove to be beneficial for those that are competing for various spots on the field.
“Who comes back with better physical condition, better knowledge of what we’re doing schematically, has worked the tools of their trade – their position work and who’s done the most during this time it will show when we get back and start practicing,” head coach Neal Brown told WVSports.com.
Prior to things shutting down to the COVID-19 pandemic, Brown felt his team was further along than they were at that point last season not only mentally but physically.
“Most of those guys had gone through an off-season now so we were more developed,” he said.
The focus from year one to year prior to things shutting down was an emphasis on nutrition as well as focusing on those environmental principles within the program. For example, that meant examining how can they do things better heading into a new year?
“How can we make sure our environment stays positive? how can we continue to build these relationships? How can we increase the level of competition? How can we push these guys to continue to improve every day? It’s not necessarily that we’ve had a bunch of changes its we’re trying to be better at what we believe in,” Brown said.
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