Life after college football

Sports

It turns out that life does indeed go on, even in the midst of a global pandemic.

For some former Kansas State athletes, this required scrambling to find their way back home before airports closed and flights to the United States were cancelled. Now, like the rest of us, they find themselves meeting family from a distance, home-schooling their kids, and just getting on with their lives.

For other athletes, the pandemic has forced them to confront their post-sports futures. Scott Frantz, undrafted and as yet unsigned, may also not get a shot at rookie mini-camp thanks to the coronavirus shutdown. So he’s refining his resume and hoping to land a spot as a special needs teacher in Austin, Texas. where he hopes to keep football in his life by mentoring future offensive linemen.

Teammate Devin Anctil is in a similar situation, and he’s facing it with good humor while posting clips of his punting skills on social media. Here’s hoping the NFL finds a spot for the Big 12’s best punter.

The Wichita Eagle’s Kellis Robinett discusses Frantz, Anctil, basketball news and more in his weekly K-State Q&A.

In other news, recruiting continues apace. Indeed, thanks to modern technology, the football staff has stayed in touch with most prospects, offering regular phone calls and even virtual tours of the facilities. The program has already made two dozen offers, mostly for 2021 but also for some 2022 prospects. In short, this pandemic may have given the Wildcats a bit of a recruiting boost.

Bruce Weber provided a virtual clinic through the NABC Championship Webinar Series, and hearing the man talk about basketball Xs and Os is fascinating. Of all of Weber’s positives as a coach, the biggest is probably his general basketball nerdery, most of which was on full display in this clinic.

Meanwhile, the NCAA Board of Governors has approved plans to allow student-athletes to profit from the use of their name, image, and likeness. This means that student-athletes can be compensated for social media promotions, for endorsing products, etc. However, these athletes cannot use their school’s trademarked logos and other intellectual property. From the perspective of the student-athlete, this is a welcome change, but the transition is going to be bumpy as both athletes and schools adapt to this new regime. In particular, there are broad legal implications here that athletes—and possibly their schools—are not equipped to handle.

Miscellany

Tired of baking bread? Watched all the streaming content already? Bored of mixing shutdown cocktails? Exhausted by virtual hangouts with friends you barely wanted to see in the first place? Time to pick up a new hobby!

Happy Friday, all!