Louisville Football Players & Coaches Support "#WeWantToPlay" Social Media Movement

The 2020 college football season is in jeopardy, and members of the Louisville Football program are lending their voices in an attempt to salvage it.
On Sunday, sources told Sports Illustrated that high-level conference meetings are being planned for this week across the college football landscape - with the expected resolution of postponing fall sports until 2021.
As a result of the report, hundreds of college football players across the nation took to social media to let their voices be heard on the matter - accompanied by the hashtag "#WeWantToPlay". Soon, most of the Cards were quick to contribute to the cause as well.
Some players such as wide receiver Tutu Atwell and quarterback Micale Cunningham echoed their desire to have everyone work together and come up with a plan.
"Lets come up with plan don’t matter what it is anything just something so we can all play the game that we love," Atwell tweeted. Cunningham followed that up by also tweeting: "We have put in way to much work to just throw it all away !! LETS COME UP WITH A PLAN"
Others chimed in by saying how much safer they felt around their program than in the outside world, a sentiment echoed by redshirt senior wide receiver Dez Fitzpatrick earlier this week in fall camp.
Senior safety CJ Avery said in a tweet that "Being around my teammates & this staff is 100% the best thing for all of us," with quarterback Evan Conley also tweeting that "(Director of Sports Medicine Matt Summer and his staff) are equipped to keep us in the safest possible environment any college kid across the country will be in."
Even coaches got in on the matter. RB coach Norval McKenzie said in a tweet that "Our guys have adhered to the protocols! They’ve busted their butts to be in a position to play," with TE coach Stu Holt reiterating that stance by tweeting "Our players & staff have adjusted to new protocols & worked extremely hard for this season - proud of their effort & focus!"
Below is a sampling tweets made by members of the program supporting "#WeWantToPlay":
WR Tutu Atwell:
QB Micale Cunningham:
We have put in way to much work to just throw it all away !! LETS COME UP WITH A PLAN.. @UofLPresNeeli @ACCFootball @ESPNCFB
— Malik Cunningham (@MalikMalikc10) August 10, 2020
Where I’m from football is all we know .. It’s not safe back home I want to be here with my other family ❤️ #LetUsPlay @ACCFootball @UofLPresNeeli @UofLFootball @ESPNCFB
— Malik Cunningham (@MalikMalikc10) August 10, 2020
RB Javian Hawkins:
Y’all might as well jus let us play!!! 🗣
— BEN (@_1ordi) August 9, 2020
S CJ Avery:
— Cj Avery (@Averyy_Sports) August 10, 2020
QB Evan Conley:
QB Tee Webb:
WE WANT TO PLAY!! 💯 🏈
— Tee Webb (@teewebb9) August 10, 2020
OLB Trenell Troutman:
— NellyP🦅🐍👿 (@FlyyNell) August 9, 2020
RB Hassan Hall:
— Hassan Hall🐆 (@Sayblackboyyy) August 10, 2020
DE Dayna Kinnard:
— Dayna K. Kinnaird (@DaynaKinnaird) August 10, 2020
OG Robbie Bell:
OT Adonis Boone:
#WeWantToPlay https://t.co/75qRGptuMs
— Adonis Boone (@dondeezy74) August 10, 2020
OG Cole Bentley:
Opted in #WeWantToPlay @UofLPresNeeli @ByPatForde
— Cole Bentley (@ColeBentley66) August 10, 2020
S Russ Yeast:
— Russ Yeast (@russ_yeast03) August 10, 2020
OG Caleb Chandler:
S Lovie Jenkins:
We grind to hard just to let that be thrown away ❗️ WE WANNA PLAY❗️ BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY💯💯💯
— Lovie Jenkins (@Lovie1k) August 10, 2020
OLB Yasir Abdullah:
Don’t let our grind go to waste‼️#WeWantToPlay
— 🕋 (@AbYasiir) August 10, 2020
OLB Zay Peterson:
— Zay Peterson (@ZayPeterson) August 10, 2020
ILB Monty Montgomery:
— Monty “TBE” Montgomery (@MontyTBE1) August 10, 2020
TE Ean Pfeifer:
— Ean Pfeifer (@PfeifDaddy57) August 10, 2020
DE YaYa Diaby:
— Yaya “Yaski” Diaby (@greatyaya4) August 10, 2020
OLB Marvin Dallas:
RB Aidan Robbins:
— Aidan Robbins (@theaidanrobbins) August 10, 2020
S Jack Fagot:
S Isaiah Hayes:
WR Braden Smith:
#WeWantToPlay !!!
— Braden Smith (@braden_smith11) August 10, 2020
RB Coach Norval McKenzie:
Our guys have adhered to the protocols! They’ve busted their butts to be in a position to play. Football is the closest thing they’ve had to normalcy since the pandemic. Many feel they are safer here than back home. It’s been awesome & safe to be around our family/our boys #LsUp
— Norval McKenzie (@coach_norv) August 10, 2020
TE Coach Stu Holt:
Our players & staff have adjusted to new protocols & worked extremely hard for this season - proud of their effort & focus! #WEWANTTOPLAY
— Stu Holt (@coachstuholt) August 10, 2020
Strength & Conditioning Coach Mike Siriginano:
This is our FAMILY. They sacrifice day in & day out to compete at the game they LOVE. A game that gives & teaches these young men so much about life. You will not find a tighter unit in the country. TALK TO THEM BEFORE YOU TAKE SOMETHING FROM THEM. They will tell you the truth. pic.twitter.com/S7LZmCdnaz
— Mike Sirignano (@IRON_CoachMike) August 10, 2020
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McGavic is a 2016 Sport Administration graduate of the University of Louisville, and a native of the Derby City. He has been covering the Cardinals in various capacities since 2017, with a brief stop in Atlanta, Ga. on the Georgia Tech beat. He is also a co-host of the 'From The Pink Seats' podcast on the State of Louisville network. Video gamer, bourbon drinker and dog lover. Find him on Twitter at @Matt_McGavic