A look at how one Big Ten school is training amid the pandemic

With an ominous cloud hanging over them, schools are moving forward with preparations amid a pandemic that threatens to scrub the 2020 season. And they are doing so amid great care and caution to not contract COVID-19.

For a variety of reasons, the nation has seen a surge in infections. It’s against that backdrop that Big Ten players are on campuses lifting weights and conducting various workouts on a voluntary basis.

“What you're hoping is that you've had this team here all summer and you work your way down to by the time practice starts, everybody’s figured out how to function and you test them again and nobody goes into practice infected,” a Big Ten coordinator told GoldandBlack.com.

Teams will need a six-week lead-in to their first game. If a school opens Sept. 5, it would start mandatory workouts July 24. Then, training camp would begin Aug. 7. But no one knows for sure when the season will start. If living life amid a pandemic has taught us anything, it's that things can change quickly.

The Big Ten announced last week that it was moving to a 10-game, conference-only schedule to allow for scheduling flexibility, among other things. League schools each had three non-conference games on tap. How will schedules look? When will games begin? Stay tuned.

Some feel schedules will be released in early August. And just the first few games could be unveiled, as the Big Ten would seemingly want to maintain schedule flexibility in later months to deal with any virus flare-ups. Until then, workouts on campus continue amid many health protocols.

“We're doing a good job of keeping them separated,” the Big Ten coordinator said. “We are not letting all the linemen lift at the same time. The linemen lift in four groups, so if one of the linemen gets it, the most we lose is 25 percent of the room.

“Four groups of four lifting. And they're mixed up. Who I think the starters are are all in four different groups. We are doing that with every position, we’re keeping them spread out.”

There is no locker room access. But in between workouts, the facility is thoroughly cleaned.

“They're cleaning things and everything's spread out,” said the coordinator. “There’s the group outside, there's a group in the indoor, then there’s one group on one side of the room, one group on the other side. So, they keep them all spread out. No lifting group can infect the other lifting group, technically. Strength coaches are all wearing masks.”

Once training camp starts, the school will move its players into a hotel.

“That’s the plan,” said the coordinator. “So, they're gonna either be in this building or at the hotel and they're not allowed to go anywhere else.”

During the season?

“Freshmen will be in dorms, but no one else will,” said the coordinator. “Some second-year guys were in dorms in the past. We want to get our freshmen a single, no roommate, give them a single because the dorms aren't going to be filled. There’s gonna be plenty of dorm rooms, so just give every freshman a single and call it a day.”

While the players may be easier to control, monitor and shepherd around in July, what happens in August when thousands of students fill campuses? Players will be on campus, going to classes, mingling with other students. And the temptation to socialize will be real. Stay tuned.

Game-day could look different, too. Fewer players may dress for home games.

“You should probably only dress about 75 (schools usually dress 100 or so),” said the coordinator. “Keep everybody spread out. Every offensive and defensive lineman should wear a visor over their face mask, so the sweat and spit that goes in the nose and mouth can't get it your deal.

“When they come off the field, they sit down and there's an empty seat between each guy on the bench and a trainer comes over and sprays them with disinfectant spray. They change gloves every series. At halftime, they can sanitize. Give them your helmet, and they can have a steam sanitation for your helmet in 10 minutes. Change your jerseys at halftime. I mean, there's a lot of stuff like that they could do.”

The coaches could even wear masks on the field on Saturdays.

“Probably,” said the coordinator. “I probably would. I wear a mask all the time. Around the players, in the building, in the hallways, I walk in the building with the mask on, I never go to the bathroom or anything without a mask on. The only time it's not on is when I am sitting in my office. I am trying to be prudent that way. … I’m just being careful and smart and just trying to do the best I can. But I realize, deep down inside, I can't prevent anything from happening.”

The challenges to pull off this season remain daunting.

“The bottom line is this: There are 14 head coaches in our league, 14 athletic directors, 14 presidents, 14 Board of Trustees, 12 governors and a Big Ten Commissioner,” said the Big Ten coordinator. “If they can all come to a mutual agreement, god bless them. But I don't think they can.”

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