MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Major universities such as North Carolina and Notre Dame have already gone to virtual learning, online classes due to outbreaks of COVID-19 across their respective campuses, but not necessarily on the football teams.
While WVU is moving forward with on-campus classes beginning Aug 26, most football players will not be a part of that.
Coach Neal Brown said Wednesday his team is still mostly taking online classes as a means to try and protect players as much as possible in one of the few ways he can by limiting contact with the student body. It’s not something Brown wants to do under normal circumstances, but it’s necessary in this abnormal time.
“It’s unfortunate but it’s something we have to do,” he said. “I like having our guys being a part of the campus community. I think it’s good to interact with students in a normal setting. What I think it does … students want to support people they know. If they know our players or see them on campus, whether it’s in class or at the rec center or where they eat — all those places — they see them there, they know them and they want to come support them.
“There are some upper classes that are only offered in person that some of our graduate students will have to go through, but for the most part, we are almost entirely online.”
Right now, the Mountaineers are continuing to practice in split squads, but coaches will reevaluate that over the weekend. Currently, there are about 100 players in camp, though several preferred walk-ons will be trickling onto campus as the start date for classes nears. Once everyone is in Morgantown, Brown has a plan for when about 125 players need to be at the facility and on the practice field at the same time.
In the meantime, there has to be accountability from all involved.
“I’ve told our players that it’s a right to be on the football team,” Brown said. “It’s a right and you can lose that right. Now, the trust between teammate to teammate is so important. With students coming back, you saw some of the reports of the house parties and things like that. Our guys gotta be smart because any time they do choose to do something, then they’re bringing that back to their team. If it gets to the point where we have guys who are repeat offenders or can’t follow the protocols, then they can’t be a part of this.
“As long as we continue to stay relatively virus-free, then we’ll continue to add those guys to our roster.”
Transfer update
Brown said last weekend paperwork needed to be completed before a few transfers were officially added to the Mountaineers roster, but as of Wednesday, offensive lineman Ja’Quay Hubbard, wide receiver Zack Dobson and linebacker Tony Fields II were good to go.
Fields II, with travel from Arizona to West Virginia, needs to quarantine before he is able to practice, but Hubbard and Dobson are currently able to practice.
Stomach bug
Brown mentioned a few of his players are missing time due to a gastrointestinal virus, especially in the secondary.
“We are missing several guys in practice right now — nothing due to COVID-related issues,” Brown said. “We’ve got a stomach bug that’s going around.”
One player who has shined in the absence of several players is true freshman cornerback Daryl Porter Jr.
Porter Jr., a native of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., has shown flashes of excelling at this level early on.
“Daryl Porter is a guy who’s had three-consecutive days (of good practice) since we have some of those guys out with the stomach bug in the defensive back room,” Brown said. “He’s getting pressed into duty and he’s had to line up and play against Sam James and people like that on an every-rep basis. For a true freshman, I think he’s holding his own.”
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