GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- College athletics is trying to navigate through some uncharted territories.
The COVID-19 pandemic is challenging schools, the conferences and the NCAA to look at different ways to handle the situation and continue to help the student athletes.
Florida's Director and Strength and Conditioning Nick Savage is already helping the Gators football players to work out from home, and on Monday, the SEC decided to help coaches by allowing virtual coaching.
On Friday the conference announced that SEC coaches will now be allowed to offer football instruction virtually starting this Monday - something that was not allowed previously.
Now Savage, along with other Florida coaches will be allowed to conduct meetings, film review and instruction via programs like zoom. These programs will only be limited to two hours per week.
The only caveat to this rule is that the programs cannot have any physical activities coached - so Savage cannot remotely watch, direct, or review physical workouts, while assistants cannot observe or instruct any athlete through drills. .
The University of Florida and many other programs want the governing body to do more, so these schools can make sure their players have their needs met.
According to Savage, UF hopes that the NCAA will change the rules temporarily when it comes to nutrition.
"Nutritionally, right now the biggest thing we have in place is the education," explained Savage. "Our job is to coach them, teach them, show them, educate them, all those things. Now behind the scenes we're working on a few things that we're trying to get accomplished, but obviously we're waiting to hear back if it's all approved and things like that."
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a recent radio interview on SEC Radio that they are operating at the assumption that the college football season will go on.
"The focus is on beginning the football season labor day weekend like we’re accustomed to," Sankey said. "I do think, my focus is on, how do we help our teams prepare so at some point we anticipate emerging from this stay at home, social distancing expectation."
Nutrition players such a big role in making sure that the players are ready for the upcoming season, however, at this time programs' hands are tied.
The Big 12 for instance is only allowing schools to send student-athletes protein powder and supplements - although technically player scholarships include daily meals.
“I get that you don’t want schools sending out Omaha Steaks to players,” Texas head coach Tom Herman told reporters on Monday. “But now, all we can send them is powder? I wish we could do more.”
"I still believe you should be able to provide them something, so I’ve asked the questions that need to be answered and that’ll be down the road, future stuff," Savage said. "But basically what else can we do to exhaust our resources to make sure our Gators now, future Gators are ready to go when they get back on campus are in the best position to succeed?"
