What Will Muschamp thinks of players returning soon, and the plans for when they do
South Carolina football coach Will Muschamp took a tone of caution when it came to his players potentially coming back to campus in the next few weeks.
He’d like things to be normal and to return to some of the offseason workouts that would allow for a college season to start on time during the coronavirus pandemic. But he didn’t go too far in his thoughts Tuesday in radio interviews.
The SEC presidents are reportedly scheduled to vote Friday on when football players and other student-athletes might be allowed back on campus. Dates could include June 1, June 15, perhaps later — or leave it up to schools.
“That’s a medical decision,” Muschamp said in an interview with ESPN Radio in Charleston. “That’s not a decision that I’m gonna make, and even president Caslen or coach Tanner. That’s a medical decision. What’s the safest thing for us to get back to some normalcy?
“We are seeking their advice to tell us what we need to do.”
Muschamp and his staff got back in the office last week, but it’s on a limited basis.
But whenever the players do return, Muschamp said his staff has a detailed plan in place, something to keep players safe.
“Listening to our medical staff, I think our guys are safer here,” Muschamp told Jimmy Hyams on WNML. “It’s a much more controlled environment. We’re going to work in pods. Only 10-12 guys are going to be in the building together at one time. We’re not going to shower early on. We’re going to go straight to the weight room to work out, to run, to work through the strength and conditioning. We’ll continue our Zoom meetings online. We will not meet together as a unit. We’ve gone through all the different things that we have to do.”
Only about 30 percent of the players have access to weights, according to their coach. He’s said the message to the team is about staying in good condition, but even then, there’s some worry about athletes staying on top of things.
He made note to say he hoped to see a full Williams-Brice Stadium come fall, and he pointed to a simple reason. If it’s not safe for fans, why would things be that much safer for players?
The 2020 season, Muschamp’s fifth in Columbia, is set to begin Sept. 5 at home against Coastal Carolina.
This story was originally published May 19, 2020 at 5:55 PM.
