COVID-19 delays create challenges for teams

The last time North Carolina went this long between games during a football season was in 1952, when a polio outbreak on campus forced the Tar Heels to cancel two games.

For No. 25 Memphis, 28 days will separate its season- opener from Saturday’s game at SMU because of a COVID-19 outbreak that shut down its football facility.

One way or another, the coronavirus has caused the postponement or cancellation of 24 games involving major college football teams since Aug. 26. The latest came Thursday, when Appalachian State postponed next week’s game against against Sun Belt rival Louisiana-lafayette. The Mountaineers’ next game is scheduled for Oct. 14, while the Ragin’ Cajuns are idle until Oct. 17.

The delays and disruptions have created long layoffs, unusual practice schedules and shorthanded rosters, leaving coaches wracking their brains for ways to keep players engaged mentally and physically.

“Does it still hold true that you improve the most between your first and second game if there’s two weeks between them, really three weeks between them?” North Carolina coach Mack Brown asked. “I think probably not. We’re starting over.”

No. 12 North Carolina got its opener in on Sept. 12, beating Syracuse. The next week a nonconference game against Charlotte was postponed a couple of days before it was supposed to be played because the 49ers could not play.

North Carolina had an open date the following week, but couldn’t find a game. The Tarheels will play at Boston College on Saturday, three weeks after the opener without having had an outbreak of their own.

North Carolina could conduct practices as usual, but Brown dialed it back. The staff suggested holding a scrimmage on what would have been game day, but Brown wasn’t keen on that.

“I was concerned that if we had a scrimmage on Saturday and they were distracted and disappointed that they didn’t play that we might get somebody hurt because they’re just not as into it,” he said.

North Carolina did hold a scrimmage last Thursday for players who generally don’t get into games. Quarterback Sam Howell called the plays and players at the top of the depth chart got to root on their teammates.

“I’m not sure I’ve seen this group have that much fun since the bowl game,” Brown said.

Virginia Tech had its opener on Sept. 12 delayed because of COVID-19 problems with North Carolina State, then had its own virus issues force another postponement the next week against Virginia.

Hokies coach Justin Fuente said he needed to cut back on then umber and length of practices because the team was depleted between infected players in isolation and those quarantined after contact tracing. Keeping spirts up was challenging.