On a scale of 1-10, how hard do you think the players will play this season, and why? 7 because many players still have people in their ears. Also there is a chance that more demands and walkouts from some players will happen. Players like Sam will be lights out but I don't think he will be able to motivate at the level to win big because of the noise of others. I really hope I am wrong on this.
You are assuming there will be a season......... And if there is, its only a distraction if they lose, if they win then it was a unifying event for the team. Seems like there will be a lot of after the fact conclusions one way or the other.
This will have absolutely no bearing on how players play. What @FWHORN said... the "NEVER CAPITULATE" posters on this board who gave up their season tickets after 50 years will point to... I don't know... a renamed math building? And say how it distracted players from working out and that's why they got gassed against LSU. The players will be the same as they would have been on the field regardless of what happened this offseason. The motivation level to play snap-by-snap has been an intrinsic thing for these guys since PeeWee leagues, and anyone who thinks there's a motivational "rift" between players like there was during all of the Cleve Bryant and Major Applewhite stuff that'll trickle over on to the field doesn't know what's going on in the locker room.
At this point and assuming there will be a season, I have no idea how this team will perform. Early in the spring, I had thought 11-1 would be the ceiling and 9-3 the floor. Now, practically any result is probable.
If we're switching to conference-only (waiting for the SEC probably), and the schedule stays in the same order, I can see how starting the season in Manhattan, KS, would be kind of a downer for the build-up to it.