For the first time since the Pac-12 announced the conference will move all sports competition, including football, until 2021, Arizona Wildcats head coach Kevin Sumlin discussed the football program's objective for the next three months.
"We're moving on and everyone has to be flexible. That's been our communication with players, parents and the coaching staff. The new normal is not normal," Sumlin said via Zoom.
Sumlin also provided a parent's perspective on having a son play college football during a pandemic and the "We Are United" player's movement, among other pertinent topics, on Tuesday.
Here are quick notes and highlights from the press conference.
“Our players right now, with everything that is going on, are in as good a place mentally as anybody else in the country.”— @CoachSumlin on how UA players are handling having the season put on hold. pic.twitter.com/VhFWwYIYzD
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster) August 18, 2020
What happens now for the Wildcats?Kevin Sumlin: “Prepare for the next opportunity that you’re going to get of which you don’t know when that happens.” pic.twitter.com/IPOSChR5un
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster) August 18, 2020
-Program has been working on a "Now what?" plan moving forward-No season or timeline to train for, so players need to train for themselves/next opportunity-Notes that son Jackson is a walk-on at Oklahoma, which is part of Big 12, which is still playing.
— Michael Lev (@MichaelJLev) August 18, 2020
Quick hits from our Zoom call with @CoachSumlin:-Team isn't just "moving on" - focusing on individual development.-"The new normal is not normal"-Few complaints among players about UA's handling of safety protocols-Concedes he doesn't know what's gonna happen next
— Michael Lev (@MichaelJLev) August 18, 2020
Kevin Sumlin on the SEC, Big 12 and ACC focused on playing football in the fall: "Let's wait a couple weeks and see what happens."
— Justin Spears (@JustinESports) August 18, 2020
"That conversation needs to be had. ... There's a lot of questions that need to be answered." — Kevin Sumlin on potential eligibility issues with football being moved to 2021
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster) August 18, 2020
Kevin Sumlin on Arizona's mindset without football in fall: "You're not preparing for a specific opponent, you're preparing for yourself."
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster) August 18, 2020
More Kevin Sumlin: "I don't know what's going to happen. ... What we are working on is the plan for 'now what.'" https://t.co/kTy61bYoPF
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster) August 18, 2020
Kevin Sumlin on moving the season to 2021: "We're moving on and everyone has to be flexible. That's been our communication with players, parents and the coaching staff. The new normal is not normal."
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster) August 18, 2020
