Florida State's return to practice looks different with face shields, masks

Florida State is back at it.

The Seminoles football team had its first official on-field activity on Monday as it prepares for the 2020 season. And it understandably looked different in previous years.

In the video released by the team Twitter account, first-year head coach Mike Norvell wore a face shield while speaking to players at practice. Players entered the stadium wearing neck coverings they could easily pull up as masks.

College athletes were allowed to return to campuses and begin voluntary workouts beginning in June, though some schools put in place their own dates for returns. Countable athletic activities were allowed to begin July 1. Beginning Monday, teams can begin eight hours of required workouts per week.

The number of COVID-19 cases throughout the United States continues to spike overall and more so in southern states such as Florida. Hospitals in Leon County, where the Florida State campus is located, are preparing for a spike in stays. The county has 2,448 positive cases, and people between the ages of 15 and 24 are still the area’s most affected demographic, the Tallahassee Democrat reported.

There are now more than 3 million cases of COVID-19 in the United States and 134,976 deaths as of Monday, per the New York Times.

The short 33-second clip is a stark reminder of the protocols that will need to be in place if there is a college football season at all. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said Saturday “we are running out of time to correct and get things right.” His concern level for the season, he said, is “high to very high.”

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