Etowah running back Trent Davis spent the weekend hearing all the rumors about the future of college football.
Will it be played this year or not?
More importantly for Davis, his teammates and high school players around the state, will it affect Alabama high school football if colleges don’t play?
“Some people say their decision may affect us,” he told AL.com Monday. “Some say it won’t. I just started thinking a lot about it. I hope they don’t cancel college football. They want to play just as much as us. I hope we all get to play.”
With those thoughts in mind, Davis – one of the top uncommitted senior prospects in the state – tweeted out a poignant message Monday morning.
It read: “I worked for this moment since I was 4 years old! Don’t take it from us!”
It ended with the hashtag that college players and coaches have used lately: We want to play.
“It’s not just for me,” Davis said. “It’s for all the seniors out there. We don’t get our senior year back. We’ve put in all this work, all this grind. For us not to play, it would all be for nothing. I would like to get on the field and compete for a state title. We feel like we have a shot this year.”
Davis’ Etowah team is ranked No. 4 in the Alabama Sports Writers Association Preseason Class 4A Top 10.
What would fall be like for Davis without high school football?
“It would be very difficult,” he said. “I would be heartbroken for sure. It’s my senior year, my last year of high school, and I wouldn’t get to play the sport I love most. It would be very damaging for us and the team. I don’t think anyone wants this season lost in the midst of this pandemic.”
One of the state’s most high-profile seniors, Auburn defensive tackle commit Lee Hunter of Blount, wants to play as well but also realizes the coronavirus concerns.
“I want to play bad,” he said. “No doubt. I also know safety is important. I love football. If they cancel it, I know I have to work on my own to stay at the top of my game. It would sure be disappointed, but God does everything for a reason. We’ll have to wait and see.”
Hunter’s longtime buddy, Mobile Christian standout and Alabama commit Deontae Lawson, agreed.
“It is really important,” Lawson said of his senior year. “If we don’t have a season, I will just continue to work out and get ready for the next level, but I want to play.”
RELATED: Saban lends voice to We want to Play movement
The Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Central Board approved an on-time return to play last month and teams have been in fall camp since July 27. The season can officially start Aug. 20.
AHSAA executive director Steve Savarese said on Sports Talk 99.5 in Mobile that there are no plans to delay that start at this time.
“Unless the Governor would issue an order to close schools like she did in March, we would continue to play,” he said. “Our medical advisory board saw no purpose in delaying. We have schools already in session this week. As long as our schools were back or had an opportunity to be back, we don’t know what tomorrow holds. It’s not going to be different two weeks from now. We could have done what Georgia did. They delayed two weeks, but they allowed two additional scrimmages. We didn’t see a purpose for that. Let our kids play. … We felt like let’s go ahead and continue under the guidance of our experts and coaches.”
Dr. James Robinson, the AHSAA’s medical director, told AL.com last week that he believes it is important for student-athletes to return to a normal routine.
“We have seen across the board an increase in mental health issues because of social isolation,” he said. “Kids need their friends, and they need to be active and play. The benefits from activity and exercise are extremely important at this age.”
If the SEC opts not to play its season, which is scheduled to start in late September, will it make a difference on the high school level for Gov. Kay Ivey?
Only time will tell.