Adam Schefter Raises Concern For Florida State Receiver After Virginia Upset

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While news was awaited with apprehension for the Florida State receiver, fans stormed the field following the Virginia upset over No. 8 Florida State. This incident again brought in question the safety of these storm-the-field traditions within college football.

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Storming the field after a major upset in major college football has been a tradition since the time the sport was born. But that issue turned into a concern this past Saturday after Virginia knocked off the No. 8-ranked Florida State, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter switched his focus from the outcome to issues of player safety. Schefter went so far as to post about the incident, expressing concern for a Florida State receiver who was caught in the chaos. “Hope the Florida St. receiver is OK,” was his simple message-that immediately sparked conversation about how dangerous these celebrations are.

The broadcast shifted attention away from the incident, yet viewers aware of the more grisly details adjured that during the chaos the receiver was anthem. One spectator said: “That was nuts-I thought the same-how did he even get to his feet-the same for the UVA player,” while others were in uproar that fans were allowed so close to the field.

That very incident stirred up more discussions on policies regarding storm-the-field safety. One user was heatedly against the practice, calling it “stupid” and suggesting it “should lead to forfeiture.” Another one called for consequences, stating that “Virginia got a huge fine coming their way.” It then evolved into talking about security enforcement, “The next step has to be cracking down on security heavily and charging people with crimes,” one stated.

The debate took off on topics outside the original safety concerns as those statements branched out concerning controversial calls during the game about whether a Florida State receiver maintained control of the pass or not. This tangent is an indication of just how quickly conversations can splinter, even when the primary concern—in this case—should always be player safety.

What was fairly clear was how many felt the same way with or without Schefter aloud. There were many comments about having shared the same thought during the game. “I was thinking the same thing,” one user commented. Another said, “I was watching the broadcast for at least 5 minutes after they stormed the field, and they never went back to it.”

The incident raises the all-too-familiar question about how one balances tradition with safety. While field-storming undoubtedly gives students and fans unforgettable moments, the potential for injury to players, officials, and the storming fans themselves remains very real. Great changes usually come “whenever someone finally gets hurt but they won’t do something about it until it’s too late,” one commenter said.

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Schefter’s post was just a stark reminder: While there will always be excitement associated with upsets and celebrations, at the end of the day, player wellbeing must take precedence. That a high-profile NFL reporter had to remark on a college football incident says so much about how unprofessional observers felt about the situation. And as protocols for field-storming remain a wrestling issue for college football, the Virginia-Florida State game will most definitely join the ranks of several other incidents that have heated discussion as to whether to regulate or just outright ban this tradition. The situation also brought to mind the performance of a promising rookie like Jaxson Dart and the importance of protecting young players.