The spring season ended before it really even started.
COVID-19 put a wrench into the spring season for the Colorado Mesa University (CMU) Football Team, canceling their spring game and the rest of their practices.
The Mavericks football team has had to adapt to getting to know their new Head Coach, Tremaine Jackson, and preparing for the 2020 season in different ways.
Jackson was hired in December as the new Head Coach of the Mavericks football team and was ready to get to work with the team come spring, but now has to adapt.
Despite Jackson not being able to physically be around his players, the transition into his first year as a head coach with CMU has been good.
“The program hasn’t stopped moving,” Jackson said.
Zoom has been the key to communication for everyone these days and that does not change for the football team. Jackson has maintained contact with his team and on a daily basis, speaking with his players’, making sure that school is going as smoothly as possible and talking about the game that connects them.
“We meet with the players on Zoom or teams daily to talk about academics or football,” Jackson said.
The coaching staff has been able to get together in a virtual office meeting like Zoom as well to talk about the game and what they want from this group of players come the first game in September.
The athletes have not stopped training for the season even though they can not be together as a team. They have gotten creative with at-home workouts since they do not have access to the weight room at CMU or team workouts for the time being.
The team was able to start some practice before things got put on hold. They had some early morning drill practices and meetings to get to know how the game would be played come fall.
The Mavericks will not get a chance to participate in their annual spring game due to the pandemic.
“They have their workouts that they are supposed to be doing and finding creative ways to get them done,” Jackson said.
Recruiting is another thing that the coaches are having to work on without being able to physically talk to the upcoming Mavericks hopefuls. Coaches are having to look heavily at videos of the recruits and sending them videos of CMU as well. They have also used virtual communication to get a hold of the players. Taking recruiting to a different level.
“Recruiting has gotten more intense. We are able to concentrate more on getting more videos of our school and do virtual meetings. It has been cool,” Jackson said.
The coaches and athletes have had to get creative in many ways in these unforeseen times but they are ready to get together as a team again and get to work for the 2020 season.
The Mavericks will start the season in September by traveling to Missouri to take on William Jewell College.
