MSU football coaches working through new circumstances

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (TNN) - The coronavirus pandemic rocked the sports world.

It was two months ago Monday the NBA received its first positive case and postponed its season.

But there is still hope that sports will return and at Midwestern State, head football coach Bill Maskill is hopeful for a 2020 football season and says his biggest focus is the overall health of his players.

“The biggest concern is our player’s mental health, academic health and then their physical state," coach Maskill said.

To help with the first two, Maskill and his staff has held some zoom meetings but also try to call a few players a week to check-in and make sure they are okay.

But Maskill says the physical side is the toughest to improve right now.

“And then we got to get their muscle skeleton back in strength because 9 out of 10 kids haven’t’ had anywhere to actually lift," Maskill said. "Unless they can go in a garage or have some bands.”

The Mustangs only had five days of spring practice before the pandemic forced them to stop.

Although Maskill says those five days were productive, they don’t want to wait until August to get back to work.

“You have to have something to look forward to and we’re hopeful that we can get on campus and lift and run, beginning June 1st," the Mustangs coach said. "That’s kind of when our offseason starts.”

But maybe the biggest change the coaches have had to make has come in recruiting.

“This time of the year we are usually out evaluating high school kids or we are looking at junior college kids or portal kids," Maskill said. "So now we are having to do that sight unseen without seeing the kid or talking to them.”

Maskill said he’s excited for the new incoming freshmen and new transfers but only time will tell if and when we will see them on the field.

Copyright 2020 Texoma News Network. All rights reserved.