Ex-Husky Linebacker Milo Eifler Registers his Coronavirus Concerns at Illinois
Had he stayed, Milo Eifler would be entering his final season with the University of Washington football team.
As a fifth-year senior and the more established guy in the mix, Eifler likely would have had Joe Tryon or Ryan Bowman trying unseat him as a first-teamer. Or, considering that they were both named second-team All-Pac-12 last season, Tryon and Bowman might have done it already.
Either way, the Berkeley, California, product — known as Carmilo Eifler when he was with the Huskies — would have provided a great boost to the UW defense in any role.
Today, Eifler is an unquestioned leader for the University of Illinois football program, where he transferred in 2017 following two years at the UW.
He has proven himself on the field. He has assumed an important role away from the action, as well. It all started with a simple tweet expressing his novel coronavirus concerns.
Now with the pandemic spiking once more nationwide, he is asking pointed questions about whether it is safe to go back out there this fall. Could there be a chance he won't play again?
Already some professional athletes in MLB, as shown in the accompanying Sports Illustrated video, have indicated they won't be part of a coming abbreviated season.
"Do we have a vaccine?" Eifler asked while meeting with reporters on Zoom. "I don't know. The football player in me wants to put on pads right now. Just leaving he house to go to the grocery store, I know everyone has been a little scared about 'What if I go eat with my friend on Friday in an outdoor-seated restaurant?' You want to do those things but in the back of your head you're like, 'Dang, I don't know. Is it right?' "
All of this has had Illinois officials feeling a little uneasy that one of their respected players feels uncomfortable while facing the great unknown. They had to meet with him first before letting him engage with the media.
One thing is clear, no one has all of the answers that Eifler is seeking.
The full accounting of Eifler's situation is reported in detail here by Illini Now/Sports Illustrated's Matthew Stevens in both a well-written story and a column.
Today, Stevens has a story about Eiler's mom, Rachel Morello-Frosch, a research professor at the University of California. She's been a huge source of information for her son about the virus. Check it out.
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