Watching & waiting
Despite coronavirus pandemic, Florida players, coaches say #WeWantToPlay the season
Florida, Florida State, UCF and USF may be bitter rivals on the football field, but they agree on one thing — they want to play college football this fall.
Players and coaches across the state of Florida joined a social media movement that started Sunday night and developed more intensity Monday, arguing they want to play during the 2020 season despite the Big Ten moving toward canceling all games due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Even if the Big Ten follows through with a plan to postpone the college football season and pushes it to the spring as first reported by Sports Illustrated and ESPN, leaders at Florida, Florida State, Miami, UCF and USF are lobbying to play.
Sensing momentum for canceling the season, players and coaches have endorsed playing with some conditions, including strong safety protocol, protections for those who opt out and support for a players association. The growing call to essentially unionize college football players has added to an already tense discussion about how to proceed.
But for many coaches and players in the Southeast, the math is simple. They believe their teams can compete as safely as possible, they’ve worked hard and they want to play.
Florida Gators coach Dan Mullen offered his support for the #WeWantToPlay movement on Monday.
“I am so proud of our players. Their commitment to medical guidelines to stay safe has showed their resolve in preparing the right way for the season. They deserve to play this fall. They have worked so hard for this. Let’s fight for them and find a way. #WeWantToPlay,” Mullen posted on Twitter.
A UF source told the Orlando Sentinel during the weekend that no Gators tested positive for COVID-19 or were quarantined due to exposure to the illness since mandatory workouts began July 14.
Prior to that, 21 Gators tested positive for the virus, the source said.
While the Mountain West Conference announced it was postponing all fall sports, the