A Tale of Two Programs: Ole Miss & Auburn take on Covid
How do you make sure your team is ready for the season? Film analysis. Check. Lifting and conditioning. Check. 7-on-7s. Check. Team bonding. Check. Getting vaccinated to make sure you can compete during a global pandemic? Well, in the SEC that depends on where you play.
Covid is still with us in 2021. Don’t believe me? Ask NC State’s baseball team. Auburn’s first-year head coach found out first hand. Bryan Harsin tested positive for Covid last Friday. The news served as a reminder that we will all need to stay vigilant and mindful as we approach the new season.
The news highlighted how the media will handle Covid news differently in 2021 compared to 2020.
Nick Saban missed the Iron Bowl in 2020. It was big news, but there was no blame or scrutiny around Saban or the Tide. The media focused on how Steve Sarkisian would handle his increased game-day responsibilities. (Spoiler: he was fine)
Harsin’s positive test brought about a number of questions. What was Harsin’s vaccination status? A point still unclear after he spoke to the media on Wednesday. Why are the Tiger’s team vaccination rate lagging behind many of their SEC counterparts? All of these unanswered questions have led some to question the first-year head coach.
Joseph Goodman’s called Harsin’s positive test, a failure in leadership.
When a public university agrees to pay a coach $5 million per year, then protecting that public university’s interests are the only choices on the table. There are no personal choices for SEC football coaches, and that includes — and this should be understood, but we’ll spell it out anyway — refusing to promote vaccination against a disease during a pandemic.
The preseason in Oxford has been much smoother than their counterparts on The Plains.
Lane Kiffin is entering his second year as head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels. Kiffin led Ole Miss to a 5–5 record last year and has his team this year ready to breakout. The Rebels return a high-powered offense in 2021 and are ranked just outside the Preseason AP Top 25.
Kiffin has shown great leadership when it has come to Covid and the vaccine. Kiffin announced in early August that his program is 100% vaccinated. The program encompasses more than 240 players, coaches, and staff.
Vaccines have become divisive, leading many coaches to stay silent on the topic. Only 36.78% of Missippi is fully vaccinated, second to last in the nation. These numbers correlate to the rise in Covid cases in Mississippi. In typical Kiffin fashion, Lane has been anything but silent. In an August 9th press conference, Kiffin did not mince words on his feelings about the vaccine.
“I think it’s irresponsible to not to (get the vaccine.) I realize I’ll be criticized for that but I just do.”
The contrasting approaches to Covid could have a significant impact on the season. There will be no rescheduling games this season due to Covid. Instead, teams will be forced to forfeit. In a conference where #ItJustMeansMore, the first-year head coach could learn a lot from his colleague in Oxford. Well done Coach Kiffin. #HottyToddy
Week 0 Picks:
Slim pickings this week, but that hasn’t ever stopped anybody from placing a bet. My picks this week are in bold.
Nebraska (-7) at Illinois: Scott Frost's seat is getting warm in Lincoln. Those extra practices in 2020 didn’t seem to help the Huskers much on the field. Bret Bielema and his staff are in year one in Champaign. I like the Illini to go “borderline erotic” winning outright and turning up the heat on Frost and Huskers.
UConn at Fresno State (-27.5): UConn has not played a game in almost two years. The New York Times declared the Huskies 2020 National Champions, triggering another Randy Edsall bonus, probably. I wish I had his agent. Fresno State played meaningful games in 2020 and will be fine.
Hawaii at UCLA (-17): Chip Kelly begins year four in Westwood. He is still searching for his first nonconference win. Hawaii is starting year two under Todd Graham and still searching for a stadium and an identity. Look for Chip to get his win in preparation for the big showdown next week against LSU.
Grab your 🍿 and enjoy the games!
