MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — With mandatory workouts looming in just two weeks, WVU football coach Neal Brown knows this will be unlike any preseason he’s experienced in his career.
Voluntary workouts began June 15 for the Mountaineers, and after COVID-19 testing of all staff and players which totaled 167, two players’ (named unavailable due to HIPAA laws) tests came back positive, both being asymptomatic.
With lower positive cases compared to many other high-profile programs across the country, WVU and Brown will move forward as if the season will begin Sept. 5 against Florida State in Atlanta. Still, learning the best ways to cope with the procedures set in place will be a difficult challenge to navigate for both the staff and players.
“This is not going to be a normal college football year in any aspect,” Brown said. “It is not going to be normal for our players. It is not going to be normal for our staff. We are working through a bunch of different models, anywhere from split practices and things like that, trying to do as many virtual meetings as possible or outdoor meetings. We are going to put our players at as little risk as we possibly can.”
Brown noted two dates he’s targeting —mandatory activities begin July 13, though it’s only eight hours per week, while on July 24, team activities are ramped up to 20 hours per week.
The official start to fall camp begins Aug. 7, about four weeks prior to the season-opener.
While all dates are subject to change, Brown has stuck with the same perspective he had when spring football was canceled in March.
“I’m cautiously optimistic,” he said. “I just think it’s going to be different, it’s going to be unique. There’s not going to be any type of normal activity until there’s a vaccine, but I am cautiously optimistic that we’ll play football. That’s how we’re preparing. I just think it’s going to be different.”
The Mountaineers are far from the only team experiencing challenges, and as a result, Brown expects the product on the field to be slightly different, due to how practices and in-person activities will be affected.
“I think you’re going to see a simpler product, maybe,” he said. “Practice time is probably going to be at a premium, I don’t know if you’ll have as much good-on-good work, ones vs. ones as you normally would.”
Because of social distancing requirements, practices may need to be split, which would also split the roster. Trying to figure out who needs to practice with who — ones vs. threes or twos vs. fours, etc. — is something the coaching staff will need to figure out, and because certain position numbers will then be limited, players may be forced to cross train at other positions.
“You have to have some guys that have the ability to crossover,” Brown said. “It is easier to do at your skill positions. You have to have that. [This week] is kind of my scenario week, where you go through all this stuff and think through all the scenarios. Some of the wideouts are going to have to cross train at safety and corner. Some of the corners and safeties, we are going to have to teach them some base formations and base routes. Some of our [defensive] ends might have to learn tight end.”
As a result, Brown doesn’t expect major changes week to week in preparations between games. Instead, teams will likely stick to a simpler game plan and make necessary adjustments as the season wears on.
“Will the product be as clean, especially early in the year? I’m not sure,” he said. “Will the average fan be able to see that? I’m not sure. But I have faith that’s it’s going to be a product that fans of college football will enjoy.”
Haskins returns home
Former WVU tight end Jovani Haskins announced he was returning to his home state of New Jersey, transferring to Rutgers.
Rutgers will be the third Power 5 program for Haskins, originally signing with Miami (Fla.), where he spent his redshirt season. He transferred to WVU prior to the 2017 season and had to sit out due to NCAA transfer rules. In two seasons with the Mountaineers in 2018 and 2019, Haskins had 20 catches for 164 yards and a touchdown.
In August 2019, Haskins was arrested on three misdemeanor charges — reckless driving, fleeing from an officer and driving on the left side of the road. Other injuries slowed his production down a year ago.
As a graduate transfer, Haskins will be immediately eligible with the Scarlet Knights.
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