Though the football team at Ashland University will not be playing any competition this year in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, practice and workouts have still been underway for the Eagles.

The Eagles are coming off of a 7-4 season last year with a 6-2 record against conference foes in 2019.

The Eagles remain led by head coach Lee Owens who enters his 17th season at Ashland with a 122-54 combined record.

The announcement of the suspension of the 2020 fall sports season was one that was emotional for redshirt junior quarterback Austin Brenner.

“It was tough,” Brenner said. “No one wants to wake up and hear that your season got suspended. Obviously, you are gonna be upset you are gonna be emotional.”

Brenner comes off a season last year where the quarterback threw for 2,121 yards and 12 touchdowns while throwing a 54% completion percentage. Brenner was also able to run for 746 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns.

Though the team is allowed to practice and train with each other, the Eagles are taking precautions and safety into account in multiple different ways.

“The NCAA is giving us eight hours a week, I believe,” Brenner said. “We do lifting in a couple of different groups. On the field, the offense goes on Tuesdays and Thursdays just doing individual work and installing plays. The defense goes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday with them doing the same.”

Brenner continued to state that it would not only require the quarterback to lead the team, but everyone one the team to push one another for a potential spring season or a fall 2021 season.

“It’s very easy to get to a point where you are going through the motions if the leaders are not leading and collectively pushing one another,” Brenner said. “It’s great that we are around each other and able to lift and practice because it gives us that opportunity to push one another.”

While there will be some Eagles that will be returning to Ashland to play in the potential spring season or the fall season in 2021, there are some seniors that have decided to forgo the season and graduate from the university.

“It’s tough for those guys, getting the season taken away from those seniors”, Brenner said. “Some of them are ready to go out there and graduate and get a job or have a job lined up, so it put them in a very tough situation to think about.”

Though the team will not be playing in the 2020 season, Brenner finished by saying that the team will be ready to play regardless of the timetable. 

“We are so excited for the next opportunity, no matter when that opportunity is gonna be,” Brenner said. “We are gonna prepare this fall as if we are going to play in the spring, and if not then we will look forward to the fall and be extra prepared to put on the pads again.”