So far, the Charlotte 49ers game at Florida Atlantic is still on. But the week is young.
The Charlotte 49ers are expected to play Florida Atlantic on Saturday, but there are mixed messages coming from the two football programs.
FAU has yet to play this season due to coronavirus concerns. Charlotte’s Sept. 19 game against North Carolina was canceled due to coronavirus tracing protocols within the 49ers team. Its Sept. 26 game against Georgia State was also canceled due to COVID-19 concerns.
When asked by the media on Tuesday when he’ll be comfortable knowing that Saturday’s game will actually be played, 49ers coach Will Healy said, “When I’m in Boca (Raton) at 6 p.m. on Friday night. Maybe when we kick off.”
FAU coach Willie Taggart was more optimistic.
“For some strange reason, I just have a feeling that we’re going to play this week,” Taggart told the Palm Beach Post Monday. “We tested (Sunday) and got them all back. They’re all negative.”
It’s not known if Taggart was knocking on wood — or if he was aware of just how much fate he was tempting — as he uttered those words
That’s because college football has had to constantly pivot during the coronavirus pandemic.
Games canceled due to coronavirus
On Sept. 17, two days before its game against North Carolina, the 49ers (0-1) canceled because several offensive linemen were in contact tracing quarantine. On Sept. 25, the day before its game against Georgia State, the Panthers called off the game because of positive tests and and contact tracing. Georgia State later announced the test results were misread and the game could have been played.
FAU’s Sept. 17 season opener against Georgia Southern was postponed the day before the game was to be played (like most other Football Bowl Subdivision teams, the Owls’ original first two games against Minnesota and Stony Brook had already been scrapped). The Panthers’ Sept. 26 game against South Florida was called off three days before.
It’s enough to try the patience of anyone. But players seem to be coping.
“All the scheduling, it just shows, honestly, how resilient we have to be,” 49ers redshirt junior receiver Victor Tucker said. “There is no game that’s promised, so every game we just have to make the most of it like it’s our last.”
Senior safety Ben DeLuca also understood why the game against Georgia State was canceled at the last minute.
“It definitely was a bummer, just because it was so late,” he said. “But in 2020, you’ve kind of got to move with the punches so you don’t want to get too caught up in something. and let it carry on to the next week..”
Healy told the Observer last week that 25 Charlotte players would have missed the Georgia State game (10 due to contact tracing, 15 to injury). Those 10 players are now out of quarantine. Eight of them will be able to play Saturday (two others remain out due to personal reasons and injury).
Taggart told the Post he estimates five players will miss Saturday’s game due to contact tracing quarantine.
The time off has had one benefit: Healy says he expects quarterback Chris Reynolds, injured in the season opener against Appalachian State, to play Saturday. Defensive end Markees Watts (lower body) and defensive tackle Mikel Horton (elbow) remain questionable, Healy said.
Healy also said backup quarterback Dom Shoffner might get in Saturday’s game: “We may try to get some carries for Dom to take some hits off of Chris (Reynolds).”
Shoffner was scheduled to start against North Carolina after Reynolds was hurt against the Mountaineers.
49ers notes
▪ About 6,000 people (20% of the 29,571-seat FAU Stadium) will be allowed to attend Saturday’s game.
▪ The 49ers’ game Oct. 10 at North Texas has been moved to an 8 p.m. kickoff on ESPNU. The 49ers’ first three games will now all be on an ESPN channel — the season opener against App State and Saturday’s at FAU.
Scouting FAU
▪ Taggart is in his first season at FAU after being fired from Florida State, where he coached less than two seasons. Taggart’s first Seminoles team went 5-7 in 2018 and he was let go after they started 4-5 in 2019. At FAU, he replaced Lane Kiffin, who led the Owls to last season’s C-USA title before leaving for Mississippi.
▪ The Owls are deep at running back, where they have their four top players returning. That includes Malcolm Davidson, who rushed for 702 yards and nine touchdowns last season.
▪ FAU has four transfers who are expected to contribute at receiver, including Aaron Young (Duke), Yanez Rogers (Cincinnati), D’Marcus Adams (Florida State) and T.J. Chase (Clemson).
▪ The Palm Beach Post reported that the Owls might be without linebacker Ahman Ross, one of their top defensive players who’s been in contact tracing quarantine for about a month.