Alabama coach Nick Saban and Clemson coach Dabo Swinney both think players are safest on campus.
With cancelations looming all over the world of college football during the coronavirus pandemic, the two most powerful coaches in the sport are speaking up on player safety. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
According to ESPN, Swinney believes his players are safest on campus, and said, “This is the safest environment that we can have our guys. Without a doubt … as opposed to letting these guys all leave and go home and be in these environments where they’re not getting tested … every single week.”
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According to ESPN, Saban also touched on the subject and said, “I know I’ll be criticized no matter what I say, that I don’t care about player safety. Look, players are a lot safer with us than they are running around at home.”
#RollTide coach Nick Saban to @ClowESPN: “I know I’ll be criticized no matter what I say, that I don’t care about player safety. Look, players are a lot safer with us than they are running around at home.”https://t.co/srMcOwCPZG
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) August 10, 2020
Coaches all over America need to be vocally making this argument, and they should be making it nonstop. There’s no question at all that players are safest on campus.
On a college campus, athletes have access to the best medical care imaginable, great food and nutritionists, and they can be monitored around the clock.
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They get none or very little of that if they return home or football shuts down. This isn’t even a hard call. The safest option is for players to remain with their teams preparing to play.
In my mind, it’s just obvious. I’m not sure how anyone could disagree. You send these young men home, and you’ll have no idea what they’re doing or who they’re with.
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Keep them on campus, and get them ready for the season. Listen to the damn coaches.