Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel won't avoid the truth: Nothing about the 2020-21 academic year will be normal.
He understands the risks involved in bringing student-athletes back to campus, as the Wolverines chose to do Monday for football, men's basketball and women's basketball.
Two Michigan players have already tested positive for the coronavirus. More than 100,000 fans won't be able to pack the Big House. Athletes and coaches need to adjust their daily routines to take extra precautions.
Again, nothing about this year will be normal.
"And sports will come back to normal at some point," Manuel said Thursday. "I just don't have enough information to predict when that will happen, but it will. We will all be able to be in the same room one day in the future."
In the face of this uncertainty, Manuel laid out U-M's plan for its student-athletes.
Once U-M players return to campus _ after completing a 14-day pre-report assessment at home _ they start a six-day resocialization period, which is much more than just checking a few boxes.
During the 14-day assessment, U-M chief health and welfare officer Darryl Conway's staff will send text messages each morning with a number of questions regarding places of travel, points of contact, possible symptoms, mental health and anxiety checks, sleep habits and appetite trends.
Athletic trainers review the mandatory responses and can intervene if answers concern them. If red flags don't show up, players can return.
