Photo by: Charles Wainwright
Dino Babers and the Orange Taking It One Step at a Time
6/11/2020 10:19:00 AM | Football
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse football coach Dino Babers hosted a Zoom call with members of the media who cover the Orange on Thursday morning. The interaction was another sign of a slow and measured return to normalcy during the country's recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.
The nearly hour-long session included more than 30 reporters and featured Babers' usual flair, complete with the movie references he's been known to make while strengthening his points.
The meeting with the media came two days after a large portion of Syracuse's football roster returned to campus for voluntary workouts. The Orange are scheduled to open the 2020 campaign on Friday, Sept. 4 at ACC Atlantic Division rival Boston College.
Babers said players were tested for COVID-19 on Tuesday and arranged in small "pods"Â according to Syracuse Athletics' operational plan for the safe return of student-athletes to campus.
"The pod is based off of the safety restrictions we've agreed to," Babers said. "As time goes on and we put some days in, those pods can start to grow based on what the governor and the state of New York allows us to do."
The Orange are easing back into activity after nearly three months away from Central New York.Â
"We really aren't doing any football-type training. We are really talking about weights and lifting,"Â Babers said.
Babers was also asked about a statement he released on social media Wednesday sharing his thoughts and feelings regarding the current national dialogue on racism and social justice.
"That was hard for me to do. I've never done anything like that," Babers said. "When I had a Zoom call with the football team and I heard from the young men – how it was important to them for me to get out and say something – it brought me to tears."
How does Babers look at the challenge his coaching staff has faced due to the pandemic?
"We've never gone through anything like this. This is going to be an adjust-and-improvise type of situation," Babers said. "There's no history and there's no knowledge to pull from. The early part of the season will be, unless you have somebody really good in front of you, a lot of people playing."
Additionally, Babers expressed enthusiasm in describing his reaction to the ongoing Carrier Dome renovations.
"It's really, really cool. It was already a nice venue. It's going to be even better," he said. "I hope that it's as loud or louder than ever before. We are the only Power-Five school with a dome. It's a huge advantage for us.
"I have faith that we will be as loud and as crazy as we have been. It will be even better for the community and the school and the state of New York."
The nearly hour-long session included more than 30 reporters and featured Babers' usual flair, complete with the movie references he's been known to make while strengthening his points.
The meeting with the media came two days after a large portion of Syracuse's football roster returned to campus for voluntary workouts. The Orange are scheduled to open the 2020 campaign on Friday, Sept. 4 at ACC Atlantic Division rival Boston College.
Babers said players were tested for COVID-19 on Tuesday and arranged in small "pods"Â according to Syracuse Athletics' operational plan for the safe return of student-athletes to campus.
"The pod is based off of the safety restrictions we've agreed to," Babers said. "As time goes on and we put some days in, those pods can start to grow based on what the governor and the state of New York allows us to do."
The Orange are easing back into activity after nearly three months away from Central New York.Â
"We really aren't doing any football-type training. We are really talking about weights and lifting,"Â Babers said.
Babers was also asked about a statement he released on social media Wednesday sharing his thoughts and feelings regarding the current national dialogue on racism and social justice.
"That was hard for me to do. I've never done anything like that," Babers said. "When I had a Zoom call with the football team and I heard from the young men – how it was important to them for me to get out and say something – it brought me to tears."
How does Babers look at the challenge his coaching staff has faced due to the pandemic?
"We've never gone through anything like this. This is going to be an adjust-and-improvise type of situation," Babers said. "There's no history and there's no knowledge to pull from. The early part of the season will be, unless you have somebody really good in front of you, a lot of people playing."
Additionally, Babers expressed enthusiasm in describing his reaction to the ongoing Carrier Dome renovations.
"It's really, really cool. It was already a nice venue. It's going to be even better," he said. "I hope that it's as loud or louder than ever before. We are the only Power-Five school with a dome. It's a huge advantage for us.
"I have faith that we will be as loud and as crazy as we have been. It will be even better for the community and the school and the state of New York."
For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).
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