Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson will deliver a live update on the Covid-19 virus in the state of Arkansas that will begin at 1:30 p.m.
Storey’s career path was education, but should have had better shot at QB
Ty Storey knew all along he was probably going to be a coach and teacher … if he wasn’t able to live the dream of having a shot in the NFL.
It really didn’t seem likely after he turned down offers from Alabama, Auburn and others to come to Arkansas, the team he’d followed his entire life growing up in Charleston.
He probably figured he’d have a better shot at landing the starting job, though. He’ll never come flat out and say he didn’t really get a solid chance but it just appeared first Bret Bielema, then Chad Morris viewed him as almost an after-thought.
“It is what it is and I’m at peace with that,” Storey said Friday morning to Tye Richardson and Tommy (The Morning Rush) on ESPN Arkansas when asked if he got a fair shot at the starter’s job.
A statement like that is the politically-correct way of saying he didn’t.
After leading Charleston to a pair of consecutive state titles he didn’t really look seriously at other offers and came to Fayetteville.
The best year he was there was when he redshirted in 2015. After that it was 13-24. He didn’t want to go through another one sitting on the bench.
“That was my last year of football and I didn’t want to have a not-so-good season,” Storey said on the statewide morning show.
It started in 2017 after he’d backed up Austin Allen in 2016, but a lot of the focus in 2017 appeared to be on Cole Kelly, who wasn’t that impressive except for his big size and personality.
Storey had more of a quiet confidence. It’s amazing over the years how many quarterbacks with that end up sitting on the bench until they get a chance that works out for them.
But it was clear in 2017 that Kelly was Bielema’s first choice if Allen wasn’t able to go.
“When Cole came in and they kinda blew him up it was tough on me at the time, but you kinda learn from that, too,” Storey said. “You understand this is college football and you’ve just got to out-work ’em. I don’t know if anyone gets a fair and honest shot. That’s just the nature of the beast.”
When Morris came in along with an offensive coordinator that didn’t have a lot of experience overall and none at the SEC level, the quarterback position appeared in a constant state of confusion.
Three different quarterbacks started games in 2018. None stayed in long enough to really get comfortable.
After the season, Morris managed to avoid the issue with his own players and word of possible transfers came in from the outside.
“We heard rumors that Ben Hicks was going to come up and I felt they were going to go out and try to get another guy, too,” Storey said. “Just to be thrown back into that mix was going to be tough.”
He set a meeting with Morris.
“I told him straight up I wanted to know if they were trying to bring in more guys,” Storey said about his meeting with a coach who never did figure things out in Fayetteville. “He was honest and said they were talking to Ben, but didn’t know if he’s coming or not. He said, ‘I’ll keep you in the loop and see how it goes.'”
Storey made it clear he was likely gone if they brought in Hicks. In his defense, this wasn’t somebody who had exactly set the world afire even at the Group of 5 level at SMU.
“If he does come in there’s a good chance I’m going to leave,” Storey told Morris. “(Morris) was understanding and said he hoped I stuck through spring ball, but there was no promises given. The next week I was going to Dallas for something and I got a call and he said Ben was coming.
“At that point I knew I was probably going to start looking around.”
He found Western Kentucky that also had a game scheduled with Arkansas in November. You think that had something to do with the decision?
Storey didn’t say because he wasn’t asked, but I don’t believe in coincidences. He knew the game was on the schedule and that game was one of his best in the college ranks.
“A lot of emotion going on that day,” Storey said. “That feeling is something I don’t know if I’ll ever feel again.”
The “feeling” was a big part of the stadium was rooting for Storey in that game and he didn’t disappoint anybody except Morris, who got fired the next day.
When a quarterback he ran off comes back in with a team of lesser talent and goes 22-of-32 for 213 yards, then rushes for 77 yards leading a Group of 5 team to a 45-19 win at Razorback Stadium, well, there wasn’t a lot of choice.
Morris was gone the next day. If he’d been fired at midfield after that loss it wouldn’t have been too surprising.
“The whole process was weird,” Storey said. “When you go to a school four years and you’re technically the enemy and you get such a good reaction from the crowd … when you get that kind of support it’s a different ballgame.”
His teammates with the Hilltoppers knew coming in what the game meant to Storey.
“They knew by my demeanor in all the practices leading up to the game,” he said. “They knew by how I walked out for that game.”
Now he’s back in Northwest Arkansas, getting ready to coach Grimsley Junior High, which is a new school in Centerton.
The son of a coach and a teacher, he figured he would be doing something in that area after he got through playing.
And that includes being the head basketball coach at Grimsley, too.
“That actually just kinda came up,” Storey said. “When they brought it up it was something I was kinda comfortable with. It’s kinda crazy to hear and a lot of people don’t believe that, but I played basketball my whole life. Just being around it I’m comfortable with it and I’m excited about the opportunity.”
WATCH LIVE: Governor’s daily press conference on state’s Covid-19 status
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson addresses state after President’s announcement earlier Friday to open churches and he will over-ride any decision by governors to keep them closed.
Razorbacks’ coaches, Yurachek, issue statements after SEC gives okay
Below are statements from athletics director Hunter Yurachek, football coach Sam Pittman, men’s basketball coach Eric Musselman and women’s basketball coach Mike Neighbors:
Hunter Yurachek, athletics director
“I appreciate the leadership and commitment of SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, our conference member institutions and the SEC’s Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force related to returning student-athletes to campus. As we resume on-campus activities, the continued health and well-being of our student-athletes will remain our top priority. I sincerely appreciate the efforts of our Department of Athletics staff and numerous medical professionals across our state, who worked collaboratively to develop a detailed plan in accordance with University, SEC, NCAA and Arkansas Department of Health directives. We are well prepared and look forward to confidently welcoming back many of our student-athletes in the coming weeks.”
Sam Pittman, football
“I’m thankful for all the people that have spent a lot of time and effort in making these decisions this week. The most important part in all of this is the health and well-being of our student-athletes. We are confident in our plan to bring our guys back to campus where our resources are here to help them academically, emotionally and physically. For us as a new staff, we can’t wait to see them and continue to build our trust with one another.”
Eric Musselman, men’s basketball
“This is an exciting step in our hopes to play sports in the fall. I think it will be great for our student-athletes to be back on campus and have the many services our support staff can give them in terms of academics, medical needs, physical conditioning and mental wellness. While we look forward to seeing our student-athletes back, we know this is still a serious time in this world-wide pandemic. We need to take things slow and we need to follow all the guidelines in order to ensure the health of everyone. That is the only way we can move forward.”
Mike Neighbors, women’s basketball
“We’ve shared a saying around our program for three years: if you stay ready you never have to get ready! Since day one, I’ve used Governor Hutchinson, Commissioner Sankey, Chancellor Stenimetz, and Hunter Yurachek as my Mount Rushmore of information on how to proceed through these challenging times. They have kept us well informed and have built confidence in us all that there is a great plan in place. So if they say we’re ready, we are ready. We understand it’s “more proceed with caution” for now rather than “GO”! We will strictly adhere to the guidelines and procedures put in place to keep us safe. I can’t wait to see each and every returner and welcome our newcomers!”
SEC allows on-campus ‘voluntary’ workouts beginning June 8
Voluntary in-person athletics activities may resume on SEC campuses starting June 8 under the supervision of university personnel with some strict guidelines, the SEC announced Friday.
The announcement was expected, especially after the NCAA had given the go-ahead for teams to start these “voluntary” practices June 1 back on Wednesday.
This means things will be a little different, but the path is there for football to reach a starting date of Sept. 5 as originally scheduled.
Due to the impact of COVID-19, the SEC had suspended all athletics activities through May 31.
June 8 will begin a transition period that will allow student-athletes to gradually adapt to full training and sports activity after this recent period of inactivity, according to the announcement. Each university will develop its own play that must be consistent with state and local health directives.
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced Thursday afternoon that sports in the state could begin with equipment June 1 but strict guidelines in “contact” sports such as football and basketball.
Team competition for baseball, softball and other “non-contact sports” can begin June 1.
The decision to resume athletics activities, which at this time is limited by the NCAA to voluntary activities supervised by strength and conditioning personnel.
“We are preparing to begin the fall sports season as currently scheduled, and this limited resumption of voluntary athletic activities on June 8 is an important initial step in that process,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a press release.
The recommendations of the SEC’s task force will serve as a roadmap for each school prior to and upon the return of student-athletes to their campuses.
“While each institution will make its own decisions in creating defined plans to safely return student-athletes to activity, it is essential to employ a collaborative approach that involves input from public health officials, coaches, sports medicine staff, sports performance personnel and student-athletes,” Sankey said.
In addition to standard infection prevention measures as approved by public health authorities such as facility cleaning and social distancing, recommended enhanced health and safety measures include:
• Enhanced education of all team members on health and wellness best practices, including but not limited to preventing the spread of COVID-19
• A 3-stage screening process that involves screening before student-athletes arrive on campus, within 72 hours of entering athletics facilities and on a daily basis upon resumption of athletics activities
• Testing of symptomatic team members (including all student-athletes, coaches, team support and other appropriate individuals)
• Immediate isolation of team members who are under investigation or diagnosed with COVID-19 followed by contact tracing, following CDC and local public health guidelines
• A transition period that allows student-athletes to gradually adapt to full training and sport activity following a period of inactivity
During the month of June, NCAA regulations permit only strength and conditioning personnel to supervise voluntary on-campus athletics activities in the sports of football and men’s and women’s basketball.
A current waiver that permits eight (8) hours of virtual film review has been extended through June 30 for football and basketball.
Organized practices and other required physical activities remain prohibited in all sports. A previously announced suspension of in-person camps and coaches clinics conducted by SEC institutions remains in effect until July 31.
Bud Light Seltzer Morning Rush Podcast — Lowest Ark FB has ever been, Ty Storey and more!
Tye & Tommy on the lowest point of Arkansas football, life without Muss, Ty Storey joins and more!
Former Razorback QB Ty Storey joins The Morning Rush
Former Arkansas QB Ty Storey joined The Morning Rush to discuss his time with Arkansas, and his new head coaching position with Bentonville-West. Check out his interview now!
Hutchinson clears way for Arkansas to resume sports going again
After the NCAA’s announcement that it had no objection to players coming back to campuses, the SEC is expected to follow along Friday and the state of Arkansas jumped in, too.
The state part is important because the SEC is still throwing out the disclaimer that schools have to follow the guidelines in each state.
First, though, Gov. Asa Hutchinson stepped to the microphone in Little Rock on a day with 455 new cases reported that probably isn’t that alarming when you go inside the numbers.
Increased testing leads to positive results. That’s why I don’t pay much attention to the test results. The only numbers I go to are deaths and hospitalizations.
Of the 455 new positive results announced, 226 were not a data dump from some previous tests and, as it was reported, the result of increased testing. That number is probably going to continue going up, by the way.
“Life goes on,” Hutchinson said in his daily press briefing. “We’ve been measured about lifting restrictions gradually so we can measure where we are.”
While the state was one of the few to not have any required sheltering rules, don’t expect the state to suddenly start locking things down.
“My belief is we’re not going to go back to it and further shut down our economy,” Hutchinson said. “We’re going to have to learn to manage this economy and stop the spread of the virus. You’ve got to do those two things simultaneously.”
As for colleges and universities, it appears the governor and his people are going to figure out a way to have them back.
“I want them to open up and have as normal of a class structure as possible,” Hutchinson said. “It will be a statewide approach.”
Arkansas’ guidelines for sports teams to resume practice contain a lot of staying away from each other but balls will be allowed, which was a big concern from coaches.
The biggest part of the guidelines are that equipment can be used and team practices for football, basketball and “contact” sports is permitted with distancing requirements and disinfecting the equipment.
Competition will be allowed starting June 1 for baseball, softball, gymnastics, track and swimming.
They did discourage people over the age of 65 from participating.
Everybody will be asked how they’re feeling and if they’ve been around anybody that’s been sick. There will be temperature checks which are probably a waste of time as that can be defeated by anyone taking two or three aspirin.
Bud Light Seltzer Morning Rush Podcast — CFB news, Richard Davenport and more!
Tye & Tommy on the NCAA’s CFB voluntary workouts decision, best FB/BKB/BSB in the SEC and more!
