Justin Fuente: "We've Had No Additional Opt-Outs" Thus Far
Virginia Tech defensive back Caleb Farley shocked the Virginia Tech fan base and the college football world as a whole last month when he announced that he would be opting out of the 2020 college football season to prepare for the NFL Draft.
The health of himself and his family amidst the Coronavirus pandemic was of utmost importance as he made his decision, leading many to wonder whether or not he would be the first of several Virginia Tech players to opt out of the season.
On Friday afternoon, head coach Justin Fuente was asked whether or not there were any additional players on the roster who have elected to opt-out.
"No we haven't [had any players opt out]. What's interesting about this is that certainly there's a COVID piece of the opt out and there's an eligibility piece...we're still trying to figure out how that's going to be implemented. I've had some conversations with some guys [on the roster] about how it all will work from an eligibility standpoint, but we're not to that point yet where kids have elected to sit out," Fuente said.
Understandably, there is plenty of uncertainty surrounding the upcoming fall. After a wild week across the sport led by cancelations from the Big Ten and the PAC-12, it would make sense that athletes from the ACC, SEC, Big 12, and Group of Five schools would be considering whether or not it's worth it to play.
However, it is encouraging from a roster standpoint that to date, the Hokies have not suffered additional attrition due to athletes not being comfortable with COVID-19 protocols. The medical staff has done a great job at ensuring that the athletes feel safe as they prepare for the football season.
Through one week of fall camp, the athletes have felt safe. As the situation evolves, it will be interesting to see if that trend continues.
