(Photo by Jonathan Wood/Getty Images)

This time of year is what players like to refer to as Mandatory Optional Workouts. According to NCAA rules you can’t force players to be at workouts during this period of the year. I believe you are not even allowed to take role. However, as a player you are mislead if you think that skipping out on these workouts won’t affect your playing.

Coaches are not allowed to be involved in the workouts, or even be in the weight room or on the field with players. So the question is who keeps track of guys and how do the coaches know what players are doing during the summer?

The supervisory job falls onto the shoulders of Coach Omer and his staff as well as the Leadership Council, which is comprised of one player from each position group. These are the guys the coaches will go to if they want to know how a particular player is doing during the summer.

As far as workouts go there are three workout sessions every weekday so the players can work it into their school/work schedules. Coach Omer and Justin McClure over see these workouts and chart players progress. In the evening the players come back for seven on seven, or Line Drills for the OL and DL. At this point Coach Omer can not be involved and must leave the field. The basic rule is that there is not allowed to be any footballs out when a coach is present.

During the seven on seven period the Leadership Council Member sets the depth chart for his position. These sessions are short and so we only run first and second team guys with a rare third team segment.

It is true that the coaches offices look out over the practice field, but a lot of times these throwing sessions are held in the Indoor Practice Facility (IPF). Even when they are held outside, coaches spend the spring recruiting and then they get some time off for family, then it’s time for fall camp. So they really don’t have the option of looking in on the guys.

In the end it is on the players to prepare. This is the most crucial part of the year. Players just spent the last three months busting their butt, and they will lose it all if they don’t train with the team during the summer. A lot of All-American potential has fallen by the way-side because guys take the summer off.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?