Coast Guard football plans to go full steam ahead

Service academy football games involving Air Force, Army and Navy this weekend are still on hold as a result of the government shutdown, although there is a decent chance the games will be played.

Air Force is at Navy in a CBS game on Saturday while Army has a scheduled game at Boston College. ESPN has reported arrangements are being made for those games to be played and await only final approval from U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel.

The Coast Guard, however, will be hosting Western New England in New London, Conn., this weekend no matter what happens. The Division III school is exempt from the shutdown because it is part of the Department of Homeland Security.

Although many members of Coast Guard football’s administration department were put on furlough, including the equipment staff, Coach Bill George and three assistants are exempt because they are faculty members.

George has had to put in some extra duties in preparation for this week’s game.

“I just hung up every football player’s [laundry] bag,” he told the Associated Press. “I told the team, too many of you guys are putting your own stuff in there. My top receiver had five pairs of skivvies in there. I told him, go up where the cadets do laundry and do these yourself. They might get away with that with the regular equipment guy, but not with us.”

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