There is no doubt player safety and physical health is a big concern in this COVID-19 world as the ACC, SEC and Big 12 continue to push forward and attempt to have a college football season in 2020.

But what about the student-athletes’ mental health? It is an issue that is not often brought up in these times when everyone is so concerned about players’ safety and catching the coronavirus. How are players handling the roller coaster of emotions as some conferences postpone the fall sports season while others press on?

“I think, right now, with us being back and practicing, the guys have a routine. So, I really have not seen much of that,” Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said Tuesday evening. “And again, we’re just trying to get these guys to understand the climate and the situation and open up those lines of communication.

“So, I really have not seen the up and down, but you do know because of the times we are away from those guys and having those conversations, you know there are some things they have on their mind.”

As frustrating as the last five months have been for fans, media, coaches and administrators during the pandemic, wondering if their will be a season. It has to be even more taxing on a student-athlete, who has no choice but to prepare as if there will be one.

Then, if the season is postponed or canceled, how does that weigh on the student-athlete mentally, knowing all of their heard work was just thrown out the window? No one can really understand what is going through the minds of all the student-athletes of the Big Ten and Pac-12 right now, after both conferences announced Tuesday, they postponed the fall sports season until the spring.

“My heart really goes out to the players in those two leagues,” Elliott said. “They have worked really, really hard to get to this point and I am not educated enough, and I understand the presidents had to make some difficult decisions. Your heart goes out to them.”

At Clemson, the Tigers are still pushing forward, along with their fellow ACC schools, and are getting ready for their season opener, which is supposed to be Sept. 12 at Wake Forest. Being in a routine, especially with all that is going on right now in the sports world due to the pandemic, is the best thing for the players.

Also, being around their teammates and practicing gives the student-athletes a few hours every day to forget about everything and just have some fun. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney says this is the most fun he has had with his players in a fall camp in years because there is more appreciation than ever before for just having the ability to practice.

Knowing how things can change at the drop of a hat, Clemson is treating each practice as if it is the last one it will get to have together.

“I think the best thing for [the players] is to get back in a routine. That gives them the ability to quiet the noise and stop worrying about things that they can’t control,” Elliott said, “and stop trying to answer questions that they don’t know the answers to and just allow them to have that tunnel vision on what is important. And that was when they got back, finishing up summer school and now let’s focus on camp, practice and getting ready for the season.”

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