Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Daniel Arias has been learning to adjust to life away from his teammates.
There is rampant speculation around whether the 2020 college football season will be played due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Players cannot train with their teams, and coaches have to rely on video calls to be able to communicate with their teams. Players are used to having a routine associated with getting prepared for the season.
“Being away from my brothers feels weird. It’s just different, not having to play football,” Arias said.
Daniel Arias Has Been Working Out With K.D. Nixon Despite Pac-12 Suspending Organized Team Activities
The Pac-12 has suspended all organized team activities across all sports until May 31. Virtual group activities are limited to two hours a week, per the Pac-12 Pandemic Policy.
However, Daniel Arias has been working out with fellow wide receiver K.D. Nixon in the morning. These workouts are not team-sanctioned, so they are not subject to Pac-12 policy.
“We’re just out there just putting in work every single day, not letting (the absence of team workouts) stop us, but just being safe at the same time.”
Colorado Buffaloes Coaches Have Done a Good Job Providing Playbook and Film
When players are communicating, they are still holding each other accountable. Arias said that teammates are making sure they are staying in shape and learning the playbook. With having a new coach in Karl Dorrell, one may assume that learning the playbook would be more difficult.
However, Darrin Chiaverini has been a staple with Colorado football over the past few seasons. He has reclaimed his old post as offensive coordinator, so the playbook is similar to the one Daniel Arias had in 2018, his freshman year. Arias believes that this playbook will be easier for him to learn because of this familiarity.
Arias said he appreciated how the coaches have made access to the playbook and film easy for the team. Because of this, the players and coaches still operate as a cohesive unit.
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“The coaches have done a really good job being flexible and having all of us together on the same page.”
The team’s plan is to meet three times a week via Zoom video calls. Although the team may be falling behind in some aspects, Arias hopes that the summer will help the team prepare for the season.
“When summer comes around, hopefully we can come back together, catch up, and start working again.”
However, Arias emphasized how players need to hold themselves accountable for learning the playbook now. He stressed the need for his teammates to make sure they are pulling their weight both on and off the field. If each player does this, Arias believes it will lead to team success.
Daniel Arias Stayed In Boulder to Keep Up With Education
Some players on the team also stayed in Boulder, while others left for home. The majority of students at CU Boulder have left the Boulder area because of the pandemic. However, Arias decided to stay in Boulder, as he believes it presents the best for his education.
“I just wanted to stay on campus and just finish this semester strong and do what I needed to do in order to be successful this semester before going home.”
Arias has been able to keep with his routine because of school. Even though there is no football practice, he still feels a sense of normalcy.
“For me, it’s like a normal day of school,” Arias said.
He added that he does not have much free time because of how he is keeping with his routine of training in the morning. In the afternoon, he will attend virtual classes and does his homework. However, he still prefers being in the classroom to having virtual classes.
“I would prefer physically going to class instead of doing the zoom (virtual classes),” Arias said. “You could be in bed listening to the lecture and it’s just different from being in class physically.”
Daniel Arias and Colorado Buffaloes Will Still Work Hard Despite Uncertainty
Safety is paramount in these times, as the COVID-19 Pandemic has swept across the United States. Some are speculating that the 2020 college football season may not take place until the spring of 2021. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the college football season, Arias’ main focus is on becoming a better football player.
“We all have the same goal of winning the championship,” Arias said. “We’re going to keep working hard.”
Arias stated that the experience would be “different” playing in front of fans. For now, he wants to focus on what he can control: becoming a better football player.