Practice providing some refuge
Players forget about outside craziness for a while as they prepare for season
Miami’s Cam’Ron Harris runs the ball during a 2019 game against Duke. Harris
The Miami Hurricanes can’t be certain they will play college football in the fall, but as they continue to practice assuming the season goes on as scheduled, Greentree Practice Fields and the Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility serve as their safe haven.
For a fourth consecutive night on Monday, UM players disconnected from the possibility of a season delayed, postponed or canceled due to COVID-19 concerns — which have only grown since Sunday — and just did what they love.
“It was like Christmas Day every time we go out to practice — that’s how much these kids just want to play football,” Miami wide receivers coach Rob Likens said Monday night. “There’s so much craziness going on in our country right now and going on in the world, and it’s like two hours of relief that they can put all their worries and cares aside. … They don’t know if this practice is going to be their last.
“We had the greatest spirited practice. It was amazing. It just shows you how much they dearly, dearly love this sport and how much they need this sport.”
UM coach Manny Diaz was not scheduled to speak with reporters following Monday’s practice, but he did post a tweet with a high-angled shot of players stretching with space in between them.
“Impressed by our guys ability to block out the noise and bring the energy today for Practice 4. These men want to play,” Diaz wrote.
Camp drills continue after several Hurricanes took to social media Sunday night, voicing their desire to save a season in question with the #WeWantToPlay hashtag.
“As a group of Miami Hurricanes players, we all have a voice that we should stand up as one that we want to play,” said Miami running back Cam’Ron Harris on Monday night. “With this 2020 situation, it comes with ups and downs, and right now we’re in a down situation. The next day, we have to determine if we’re going to be up.”
Senior wide receiver Michael Harley wasn’t shy about sending out his message to those on the outside who feel there shouldn’t be a college season.
“You’re not in our shoes,” he said. “You don’t know what we’re going through with family issues or you don’t know the work we put in to have this season.
“Me, I just stay positive, but [if ] I hear negativity, I just block it out. I ignore it.”
Harley, along with Likens and Harris, pointed to feeling a greater sense of protection from the novel coronavirus while in the team facilities.
“I feel like it’s more safe to be here on campus than to be out back in your community because Coach Diaz and the staff, we have everything handled,” Harley said.
Added Harris: “I think going home is riskier than staying on campus. We have the best medical staff at Miami that’s taking care of us.”
College football players also started a movement Sunday night to form a union or players association of sorts that would allow them to have representation in NCAA decisions that affect them.
“It made headlines, and now we’re moving something,” Harley said. “Because of something the players said instead of the coaches and the presidents and stuff like that.
“I feel we’re on a great start, and it only started 24 hours ago. So the more negativity coming out, the more the student-athletes are going to speak up for ourselves.”
Harley said he would likely return to UM if there isn’t a season in the fall, as quarterback D’Eriq King did Saturday night.
“I’m not just going to leave the team like that,” he said.
Since defensive end and NFL draft prospect Gregory Rousseau opted out of the season Thursday, no other Miami players are known to have done the same.