PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pitt football returned to practice for the first time in five days after having their game against Georgia Tech rescheduled due to positive COVID-19 tests.
"They were really eager," said Pitt assistant coach Andre Powell. "They were in here early. There were Zoom meetings last night. Guys calling late in the night wanting scripts, wanting to know what film they needed to watch to get ready for practice. It was a good feel, a good vibe on the field today."
"It kind of helps you not take any of these games for granted because you never know with everything that's going on," said senior Pitt receiver DJ Turner on Tuesday. "You kind of appreciate it a little more. That's definitely what I felt today getting back out on the field after not knowing how things would play out. You just appreciate being on the field and playing football because there is a lot going on."
We don't know yet who got it or how it got into the Pitt bubble, but there is the possibility that one or a few college-aged kids let their guard down.
"Everyone knows, who tested positive, with a little more caution they could have prevented it," Powell said.
"There's a lot of concern, but at the same time you could go pick up some food and get COVID," Turner said. "It's everywhere. I know a lot of people are worried about their health and well-being. I feel like we all trust the training staff and coaching staff to put us in the best position possible to not get it. That's basically all we can do right now."
It could affect a few starters by either sitting out due to having the virus on being in contact with those who did.
"Our kids are tough, anytime a guy goes down, that's going to create an opportunity for another guy," Powell said. "We just play next man in ball and keep rolling. If you are in the huddle, you are a starter."
"As the year went by and we got eight games in and everything was looking good, we got too comfortable and forgot about what was going on in the rest of the world," Turner said. "It brought it back that you still need to be flexible and be able to change on the move. We have to keep it up now because we want to finish out the season."
"It got us, but we will come back stronger," said senior linebacker Chase Pine.
Panthers host Virginia Tech on Saturday for Senior Day and then scheduled to play at Clemson and Georgia Tech.
What advice does Powell, a veteran of 32 coaching seasons, have for his team in dealing with the unknowns?
"I control what I can control and the rest I let go," Powell said. "They say we are going to play, get prepared to play. If they say we aren't playing, go fishing."
