Chatman opting out of season
DE decides after seeing friend contract COVID
FSU redshirt sophomore defensive end Jamarcus Chatman has decided to opt out of the 2020 season due to coronavirus safety concerns.
“The reason I chose to opt out is because this is a serious deal that’s going on in the world today,” said Chatman, a three-star prospect out of Georgia who signed with the Seminoles as part of their 2018 recruiting class.
“A close friend of my family is in the hospital suffering from COVID-19 and that hit too close to home. My family and I decided that to be safe I should opt out this season.”
Chatman appeared in four games last season, including the team’s appearance against Arizona State in the Sun Bowl.
“Jamarcus Chatman has decided to opt out of the 2020 season. We respect his decision and, like any of our student-athletes who make this decision, he will remain on scholarship,” FSU coach Mike Norvell said in a statement Friday.
Chatman is the first Seminole to choose to skip the season because of the pandemic.
More than two dozen college football players across the country have announced they will either redshirt this season or leave school altogether to prepare for the NFL draft.
Norvell said the coaching staff has addressed the safety protocols surrounding the program with the players throughout much of the summer and into fall camp.
“Every young man has a choice and we respect Jamarcus’ decision,” he said. during a videoconference with reporters following the team’s practice.
“I was trying to challenge their mindset, challenge their approach, and you can tell they were really embracing that coaching and what we’re looking to do. We just have to continue on and get better tomorrow.
“The minute we hit the field it brought a smile to these guys’ faces. We’ve got a chance to get better.”
Sophomore cornerback Akeem Dent, who spent the offseason recovering from a foot injury, was excited to get back on the field.
“For me, coming off what I had to go through, I felt very good,” said Dent, who started five games in the secondary for the Seminoles last season. “To be able to run like I used to run and move like I used to move, it was a blessing to me.”
Andrew Boselli knows firsthand the devastating impact of COVID-19.
The redshirt senior offensive lineman contracted the virus March 21 a few days after his father, former Jacksonville Jaguars Pro Bowl lineman Tony Boselli, was diagnosed with COVID-19. The disease attacked Andrew’s body, leaving him with a 103-degree fever, a lack of energy and no appetite. He also struggled with shortness of breath.
Tony Boselli wound up in the intensive care unit of the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville.
Father and son survived, as did
Andrew’s mother and brother, who also tested positive for COVID-19 a few days later. The experience inspired the Florida State redshirt senior to share his experiences with others with the hope they take the virus seriously and try to avoid getting sick.
“I think we’ve done a great job as a team,” Boselli said following the team’s first practice Friday. “It starts with the team captains and goes throughout our team as personal responsibility and self-policing.
“Personally knowing how this virus can affect people, it’s really awesome to see my teammates be accountable and making sure we’re masked up on the practice field, in the dining room and wherever we’re going around the facilities. We’re keeping each other accountable and being personally accountable, so you are doing everything you can to protect your teammates.”
Boselli said it took him several weeks after he finally recovered from his symptoms to get back into some semblance of football shape. When he returned to campus, a few of his teammates came to him to ask about the experience.
“I said it came out of nowhere and hit me like a ton of bricks,” Boselli recalled. “I was down for the count and I felt like I had been through an entire fall camp. I told them it’s serious even for people our own age.”
Boselli is battling with Baveon Johnson and Maurice Smith this fall for the starting center job.