Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the NFL will not have a preseason. The offseason was limited to virtual meetings and training camp has begun but with a slow ramp-up period, which made playing preseason games impossible.
Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury is quite familiar and comfortable with the concept, as college football teams do not play preseason games. The difference is most teams in college will schedule a far less-talented team in their first game or two.
That is not the case for the NFL. The Cardinals will open the season on the road in Week 1 against the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers.
Kingsbury says there is a comfort level with no preseason for him but doesn’t believe he has any edge, having been in the pros only one season after years of coaching in college football.
“I’m not sure that it’s an advantage,” he said on Good Morning Football this week. “We’re playing one of the best teams in the league from the jump. I do think there’s a comfort level as far as scheduling goes how you build to that first game for guys who recently come from the college ranks.”
Kingsbury does expect one thing to be a constant for all coaches, though.
“I know this — there will be high anxiety for all of us coaches Week 1,” he explained. “You’re on edge because all you’ve seen is what you’ve got and you don’t know how that’s going to go in Week 1.”
Normally, coaches will have seen their starting units against other NFL competition on a limited basis in the preseason. They have the opportunity to work out any kinks and make adjustments.
That will not be the case this year. Kingsbury is excited, though.
“I think it’ll be fun for the league, but there will definitely be coaches on the edge in Week 1.”
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