Summer workouts usher in sense of normalcy for Valdosta State football

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - If the number of players that have returned to Valdosta State for voluntary workouts is any indication of how many people are craving normalcy these days, it’s, unsurprisingly, a lot.

“Well we had, yesterday our first day of lifting, and we’ve got I think 83, so it shows you right there, we’ve got a lot of people very excited to get back to normal,” said Blazers head coach Gary Goff.

But with the huge turnout comes the problem of logistics; keeping a large roster separated into smaller numbers.

”We are lifting in just groups of 10, so very small lifting groups,” Goff continued. “Again, the strength coach and his staff right now are here from 5 a.m.-8 p.m. to get them all in, but we’re lifting in very small groups this week and we’re gonna see how that goes.”

Position workouts on the practice field have also been separated and staggered, with the linebackers taking the field when WCTV visited the athletic field house on Tuesday.

But Goff, like many other coaches, knows the hope of a season that’s closer to normal in fall depends on making smart choices in all aspects now.

“talking to the team about social distancing, wearing masks every time you’re in the facility and then we can’t come back to campus and act like this is last fall and have big get-togethers and cookouts and whatnot and be very disciplined if we want to have a season,” Goff said.

A different kind of controlling your own destiny football programs all over the country must get used to.

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