Chryst confident UW will be ready
After being cut off from his players for almost three months because of the COVID-19 pandemic – save for virtual meetings – Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst was ecstatic to see some familiar faces this week.
“There’s a lot that we don’t know,” he told reporters during a Zoom session Friday, referring to the continued uncertainty about the status of the 2020 college football season. “But what we do know, especially this week, has been awesome. Players back in town, working out and freshmen reporting.
“Our goal right now is to continue to do everything we can to take advantage of the time we have and also to kind of work through these different phases, with the ultimate goal being able to play.
“Certainly, there are a lot of things out of our control. And as everyone knows there is uncertainty…But I’ve appreciated what our coaches and players have done in hopes of being able to play the season.”
UW players began reporting to campus on June 8 for COVID-19 tests and standard physical exams and began their first week of voluntary conditioning work Monday.
The NCAA on Wednesday announced the model teams can follow in July and August to prepare for the season.
UW, set to open the season Sept. 4 against visiting Indiana, was among many teams that missed all of spring because of the pandemic.
Chryst on Friday noted that despite the NCAA’s plan – which includes up to eight hours of weight training, conditioning and film review per week from July 13-23 and up to 20 hours of sport-related activities per week from July 24-Aug. 6 – there is no way to fully recoup the 15 lost practices from the spring.
“We missed spring ball,” he said. “That is what happened. And I think if you try to take the approach of how do we make up for something that was lost, I think you’d really be frustrated and I don’t know if you would gain anything.”
The lack of spring practices likely had the greatest effect on younger, less experienced players and positions at which proven depth is an issue.
Chryst highlighted wide receiver, outside linebacker and offensive line as three units that needed spring ball to develop potential starters or key reserves.
“I think it’s our job to take advantage of what’s allowable and how to get ready for the season,” he said. “One great advantage of spring ball is that there is opportunity for development.
“I think we’ve got to do a good job as coaches of making sure that you’re installing plays and defensive play-calls…the schematic part…
“But there’s got to be time for the development and growth. Maybe it is tweaking the practice schedule so that you have some of those periods are more specifically designed to developing them. Those are things we have been working on.”
Ross Kolodziej, the head strength and conditioning coach for football, told reporters on Monday his staff was impressed by the overall conditioning of the 100 players who had reported.
Chryst on Friday he thought the coaches and players got all they could out of the virtual meetings over the last two-plus months.
“I thought our coaches and our players did a great job with the virtual meetings and in many ways, in the meeting room we might be ahead,” Chryst said. “Because there’s a lot of time you’re able to spend (meeting). I think you try to cover it all.
“Still, I think the best way to learn is by doing. I’ve always felt really confident that once we know what the rules are…then it becomes something in your wheelhouse. And that is us getting a team ready.”