Jim Harbaugh: We're 'Not Even Thinking' Of A Fall Without A Football Season
Count Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh among those who would be willing to play in empty stadiums … if it comes to that. Harbaugh said on ESPN’s Get Up this morning that if the choice were to play in front of no fans or not at all, he’d opt for the former every time.
Harbaugh does seem resigned to the fact that they won’t be playing in front of packed stadiums anytime soon due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“You could definitely test both teams and the officials, but can you test 100,000 fans coming into a stadium? Probably not,” Harbaugh said during Wednesday's appearance on ESPN's Get Up. "Heck yeah I would be comfortable coaching a game without any fans. If the choice were play in front of no fans or not play, then I would choose to play in front of no fans.
"Most of the [players] ... darn near every guy I’ve talked to on our team, that’s the way they feel about it.”
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They’re going through many different scenarios and learning more every day, Harbaugh noted. The big question is how to get an entire team together, including coaches, players, trainers, strength staff, etc. and play safely.
“You don’t test positive and don’t have it, can you still play the game? I think that’s the question on everybody’s mind,” he said. “I’m thinking that you could do that.
“As far as the season … everybody’s preparing like there’s going to be one. We’re not even thinking in the way that there wouldn’t. We’re getting ourselves ready; getting prepared.”
Harbaugh added that his staff has tried to keep in touch with players and their families almost daily.
"[We’re having] virtual workouts, virtual meetings and staying in touch by phone," Harbaugh said. "That’s how we’ve been doing it. Hopefully we can get the guys back together and get them working out as soon as the gyms open up. You feel like you can get them back into the facility, at least on a voluntary basis.”
In the meantime, he’s been answering several of his players’ questions.
“When can they come back? When can they start training? Are we going to play? Those are the big ones, right off the bat,” Harbaugh said. “Hopefully we get some better news as the summer goes on here.
“Concerns … there are definitely questions about that. Is there going to be testing; what kind of protocols are going to be in place? But we explain what it will be. It will be a different, new normal is what everybody says, where you get social distancing, work out in smaller groups. That’s kind of the approach.”
But they’re doing well and being patient, he added. Over 110 guys were over a 3.0 GPA this past semester, a record, and 85 or 87 have a cumulative 3.0.
Harbaugh is ready to get them back.
“I sure do miss them,” he said. “I can tell you that."
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