Podcast: Six things we’re interested in as Miami starts camp. And the latest with COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has college football season in flux, but the Miami Hurricanes will still start their preseason training camp Friday in Coral Gables.
To celebrate, we try to go the whole first half of the latest episode of the Eye on the U podcast without talking about the coronavirus. Instead, David Wilson and Susan Miller Degnan, the Miami Herald’s Hurricanes beat writer, each picks three things they’re most interested in as Miami prepares to begin real practices this weekend at Greentree Practice Fields.
Our conversation takes us all over the Hurricanes’ roster. D’Eriq King will begin camp as the starting quarterback after coach Manny Diaz named him his starter last month. Defensive lineman Jaelan Phillips will get a chance to crack Miami’s loaded defensive ends rotation, which also includes All-American Quincy Roche and potential top-10 pick Gregory Rousseau. We also talk about the freshman running backs, the still-untapped potential of wide receiver Mark Pope, the uncertainty along the offensive line, and the inevitable competition to replace Shaquille Quarterman and Michael Pinckney at linebacker.
Of course, we might not get our questions answered the way we normally would in training camp because COVID means no media will be allowed at practices this year.
The virus continues to have major ramifications on the upcoming season. On Wednesday, the Connecticut Huskies canceled their season. On Tuesday, the Colorado State Rams became the subject of an investigation into their handling of COVID-19 policies.
The Big Ten Conference also put out a new set of policies Wednesday as it announced its 2020 schedule. On the list: a twice-a-week testing mandate the Atlantic Coast Conference should be following, too.
No, the pandemic isn’t going anywhere, but for a few days, at least, we can actually think about football as Miami finally hits the field for the first time since March.
