Pitt players join national plea to play football this fall
Monday was a regularly scheduled day off for Pitt football, but while the practice fields on the South Side were silent, players’ voices were not.
Several of them went on Twitter — using the hashtag #WeWantToPlay — to join players from around the nation in pleading with Power 5 officials to allow a college football season to proceed this fall.
According to Dan's source, 12 of the 14 Presidents from the Big 10 have voted against having a Fall College Football season. Iowa and Nebraska were the two that have been pushing to play.
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) August 10, 2020
Despite those pleas, Big Ten Presidents have voted, 12-2, against playing football in the fall, national talk host Dan Patrick reported Monday, citing sources. Patrick said the Pac-12 also is against playing football in the fall.
On Twitter, one of the strongest points was made by Pitt senior defensive end Rashad Weaver, who missed the entire 2019 season with a knee injury. If the season is canceled, he would take two seasons of inactivity into his NFL career.
Wrote Weaver: “If opting-out is ok, then opting-in should hold just as much weight. Let those who wanna play, play and those who don’t, don’t.”
If opting-out is ok, then opting-in should hold just as much weight. Let those who wanna play, play and those who don’t, don’t. #WeWantToPlay
— Rashad Weaver (@R_Weaver17) August 10, 2020
Several players, including Pitt’s Jaylen Twyman, have decided not to play this season.
Clairton graduate Lamont Wade, a senior safety at Penn State, said concern for playing a season should have ramped up earlier than a month before the first games were scheduled.
“I just feel like this whole time nobody cared (about) the season, taking things for granted and assumed that it would just pop up and we’d be fine,” Wade wrote. “The day we went in national quarantine is the day Presidents & Universities should been findin’ out ways to make this happen.”
I just feel like this whole time nobody cared ab. the season, taking things for granted and assumed that it would just pop up and we’d be fine. The day we went in national quarantine is the day Presidents & Universities should been findin out ways to make this happen. Iwanplay?
— LaMont Wade ? (@Goony_38) August 10, 2020
Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, presumed to be the top overall choice in the 2021 NFL Draft, called football “a safe haven” from the coronavirus.
People are at just as much, if not more risk, if we don’t play. Players will all be sent home to their own communities where social distancing is highly unlikely and medical care and expenses will be placed on the families if they were to contract covid19 (1)
— Trevor Lawrence (@Trevorlawrencee) August 9, 2020
Not to mention the players coming from situations that are not good for them/ their future and having to go back to that. Football is a safe haven for so many people. We are more likely to get the virus in everyday life than playing football. Having a season also incentivizes -
— Trevor Lawrence (@Trevorlawrencee) August 9, 2020
Players being safe and taking all of the right precautions to try to avoid contracting covid because the season/ teammates safety is on the line. Without the season, as we’ve seen already, people will not social distance or wear masks and take the proper precautions
— Trevor Lawrence (@Trevorlawrencee) August 9, 2020
Most distressing for players and coaches would be the cancellation or postponement of games after university officials adopted a wide range of mitigation measures to slow the spread of the virus.
Pitt senior center Jimmy Morrissey said Friday during a conference call with reporters that players are wearing face shields during practice, not merely on the sideline or in the locker room.
“It’s the new normal,” he said. “As long as we can play football. If that’s the price you have to pay, that’s a pretty cheap price.”
— Kenny Pickett (@kennypickett10) August 10, 2020
I’m excited and ready to play this season. I’m thankful for my teammates and everyone involved in our program who have put forth the effort to make sure we have a season during these chaotic times. #WeWanttoPlay
— Jimmy Morrissey (@jimbo_slice123) August 9, 2020
I pray we all ball. Let’s go hard.
— ?.???? (@DiddyBop12_) August 9, 2020
Man... this game is everything to me. I RISKED IT ALL 4 this game. Don’t take it away from me. #WeWantToPlay pic.twitter.com/ciaGJaFGvY
— Lucas Krull (@Lucas_Krull_) August 10, 2020
Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
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