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Wildcat Football Team Reacts To GLIAC Decision
 MARQUETTE---They've known it was coming for a while now, but for the Northern Michigan University Wildcat football team, the news that the 2020 season will be cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns was still a jolt to the 106 players and the staff of coaches who have been working throughout the summer to prepare for competition. The GLIAC announcement on Wednesday included the hope that the season could be played next spring, depending on the course of the coronavirus pandemic. The announcement also cancels volleyball, soccer, cross country, golf, and lacrosse.  "Everything's been so twisted up since it hit in the spring," NMU Head Coach Kyle Nystrom said. "We actually got one (spring) practice in before we couldn't do that anymore. And you get to the point where you can't run a football team from a laptop anymore, in your living room, or your garage. We've been trying to manage all summer on what's the protocol for getting everybody back in. And the COVID situation is a moving target. It changes every two days." "Everything you had planned on doing, you were dead in the water with it two days later." NMU junior quarterback Ryan Johnson said it's a tough pill to swallow. "It's unfortunate, but not really a surprise," Johnson said. "There's a lot of mixed emotions. But I believe that three years ago, this football team never would've been able to handle it. We would've had guys going out and partying. But all of the guys I've talked to have been veru positive with it (protocols to avoid risky situations). We've been saying 'now we have more time to work. We have a plan. We're mature enough to handle it."  "I want to be player who does a lot more than he says, and show kids how it's supposed to be done, and how we like to play Northern football," Hanson said. "I think if there is one good thing it can give us a chance to focus on our studies, and give kids like incoming freshmen a chance to see what the classrooms are like, and the setting of how to stay focused and get your academics in." "We're going to need a lot of leadership this year, for all the freshmen, who want to come in and live that college life and experience that," Johnson said. "I don't blame them. But this is a different time, and a different world. I had a couple freshmen here at my place last night, and it was great, because it's going to be more difficult to build those relationships when we're not playing and together at fall camp. But I want to show them some of the culture the best we can, given the circumstances we're in." Nystrom said that his players have done an outstanding job of buying into doing whatever needed to be done to still hit the Suprerior Dome carpet this fall. And he was still holding out hope that, some way, that might happen, until this past weekend.  Nystrom says the recent revelations that some young athletes could suffer heart issues related to COVID-19 was the thing that made having a season even less likely. "Any college football coach, your number one mission is the well-being and safety of your players," Nystrom said. "You've got to look yourself in the mirror and say, 'really, what's the right thing to do here? It got to the point where it's just not safe to do." So, could a spring football season really work at the D-2 level? "Yeah," Nystrom said. "I just want to be able to play again. I know it won't be regular, but anything that we can put together is a plus, and I'm good with it. We're going to work our way through this, roll with the punches, and find a way to get back on the field again." Weather could be a concern in March, but as Hanson points out, we have a dome.  "Could we get eight games in, nine games? I'm sure we could," Johnson said. "But when do you start? I don't know. Let's have all them (opponents) come up here (to the Superior Dome) for once. "But then, you're right back into the fall? I don't know what's going to happen, but I wouldn't be opposed to it, and I hope we have a vaccine by then. That would be great." Nystrom said that keeping an even keel emotionally is the big key. "Back in June, I was feeling it (depression)," Nystrom said. "But then I said to myself, you can''t let yourself get into that mindset. Roll with the punches every day and not get negative about it. That kind of attitude is going to transition you to the best.The good news is we have 106 players on this roster and we're looking forward to being able to practice this fall and go from there." The players agree with that.  "I'm going to attack it as if we were having a season," Johnson said. "I'm going to be out there throwing. I'm going to do my lifts and conditioning every day. It's not really a setback, but, yeah, it sucks. We'll overcome it." Both Hanson and Johnson also are saluting the fans, who have stuck with the program even though wins have been few and far between the last several years. "It really makes NMU football have such a great culture, and that playing games on Saturdays is a true blessing," Hanson said. "To have all these fans out, they've been super loyal to us, and I just want to say thanks, continue to show the support, and we're going to miss you this fall." "I would just like to say thank you," Johnson said. "Sorry we can't bring football to you this year and the joy. It's a great game. But unfortunately, we're not going to be able to play this fall, and we're bummed out that we can't perform for you guys." Click the thumbnails above to see photos and hear the full interviews with Nystrom, Johnson, and Hanson.  |
