FIU’s Butch Davis believes it’s a ‘slam dunk’ there will be college football this fall
FIU football coach Butch Davis, speaking to the Miami Herald on Monday afternoon, said he believes it’s a “slam dunk” that there will be college football this fall, barring “something disastrous” regarding the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Davis also said he believes there is a “60 to 70 percent chance” that the college football season will start on time as scheduled.
There have been rumors that the start of the college football season would be pushed to February, but Davis disagrees.
“If you know anything about college football,” Davis said, “that not going to happen.”
Davis said most programs have 15 to 20 seniors who will graduate in December. Beyond that, high-end players, Davis said, won’t play a February-April schedule, risking injury and then entering the 2021 NFL Draft just a few weeks later.
THIS AND THAT
▪ FIU’s James Morgan was the only quarterback drafted from a Florida school this past weekend. He went to the New York Jets in the fourth round.
▪ With Morgan and cornerback Stantley Thomas-Oliver, FIU had multiple players drafted for just the third time in program history and the first time since 2013. Thomas-Oliver was drafted in the seventh round by the Carolina Panthers.
▪ In addition, four undrafted FIU players have signed as free agents: defensive tackle Teair Tart (Tennessee Titans); cornerback Isaiah Brown (Buffalo Bills); and running backs Anthony Jones (Seattle Seahawks) and Napoleon Maxwell (Chicago Bears).
▪ Davis remains hopeful that NFL teams will soon sign other undrafted FIU players such as middle linebacker Sage Lewis, punt returner/wide receiver Maurice Alexander and wide receiver Austin Maloney.
“Sage probably played half of our games last year with knee and hamstring injuries,” Davis said. “He needed a ‘pro day’ (that FIU didn’t get due to the pandemic) to show his speed and athleticism.
“But two or three teams have asked about him, and I think he could sign soon.”
Alexander missed four games last season due to a broken leg, which hurt his draft stock.
“Both Sage and Maurice are healthy now,” Davis said. “And Austin is an explosive kid. He was electric in our bowl game, just flying by guys.”
▪ Unlike other schools, FIU got zero practices this spring before the pandemic shut everything down.
“I was very disappointed because I love spring practice,” Davis said. “That’s the time there’s the least amount of tension, and you can really teach. Those 15 days are great for the growth of the players and especially for the development of quarterbacks.”
▪ Davis said Conference USA coaches and executives talk once a week for nearly three hours. Part of that discussion, Davis said, is whether to bring the players back to campus in June or possibly July for something akin to the NFL’s Organized Team Activities.
“Not full pads,” Davis said, “but just get back those (spring practice) days that we missed. We’re talking about walk-throughs and meetings. … But until it’s safe, no one is bringing anyone back.”
▪ Davis would also like to see an equitable system where schools such as FIU that had no spring practice get more of those OTA-type days.