College Football Players Rally to Save Their Season: ‘We Want To Play’

College football players have organized to launch a “We Want To Play” campaign, to urge their universities not to shut down the 2020 football season.

As colleges continue to hedge over reopening in the face of continued coronavirus troubles, many student athletes are beginning to worry that their 2020 season will be scotched because of the virus.

According to ESPN, the college Power Five conference held an “emergency meeting” on Sunday to discuss their concerns about the virus. And the Big Ten also met over the weekend to discuss “pulling the plug” on the 2020 season.

Insider reports on Monday are claiming that the Big Ten and Pac-12 are leaning toward canceling the 2020 season and may pull the trigger as soon as Tuesday.

With these omens prophesying the cancellation of the season, Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence and a group of college athletes have launched an effort to convince colleges not to give in to the hand wringing over the virus.

#WeWantToPlay pic.twitter.com/jvQhE7noGB

— Trevor Lawrence (@Trevorlawrencee) August 10, 2020

“The #WeWantToPlay movement is incredible,” CBS Sports reported. “So great to see players stand up for themselves, take ownership, and show that they want to be out there. Proof that it’s irresponsible to tell people what you think they should think rather than listening to what they actually do think.”

The #WeWantToPlay movement is incredible. So great to see players stand up for themselves, take ownership, and show that they want to be out there. Proof that it’s irresponsible to tell people what you think they should think rather than listening to what they actually do think.

— Barrett Sallee (@BarrettSallee) August 10, 2020

Many student-athletes jumped on the call to assure their 2020 season:

I want to play… even if we gotta be locked in .. nothing at home for me🏾‍♂️.

— Lorenzo Lingard JR (@d1champ99) August 9, 2020

#WeWantToPlay

— Amari Rodgers3️⃣ (@arodgers_3) August 9, 2020

Opted in again. #WeWanttoPlay pic.twitter.com/8Lj2vfFNhS

— James Skalski (@JamesSkalski) August 9, 2020

Just playing ball😃 – feels great to be back pic.twitter.com/WJR0Wh7oxU

— Trevor Lawrence (@Trevorlawrencee) August 8, 2020

Just let the players/teams who want to play sign a special waiver

— ϟ THOR ϟ (@JaidenWoodbey) August 9, 2020

#WeWantToPlay !!!

— Spencer Rattler (@SpencerRattler) August 10, 2020

On Sunday evening a group of players also held a conference call to discuss their fears that they will lose a year of play.

“We got down to talking and agreed that both of our goals are aligned with each other,” Stanford defensive lineman Dylan Bole said. “We all want to play this year. We just want to make sure players have a say in this thing.”

According to ESPN, “Players on the call included Lawrence, Boles, Rencher, Alabama running back Najee Harris, Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard, Oregon’s Penei Sewell, Johnny Johnson III, Jevon Holland and Kayvon Thibodeaux, Utah’s Nick Ford, Washington State’s Dallas Hobbs and Michigan’s Hunter Reynolds.”

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