These are certainly difficult times we are all living in.

We aren’t even halfway through the 2020 calendar year and yet one major issue after another continues to occur in this country.

Following the death of George Floyd during his arrest by Minnesota police officers, several coaches from across the nation and the SEC have begun to speak out about the tragedy.

Among those has been Nick Saban, who issued this statement over the weekend:

“I am shocked and angered by the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery. We’re at an important moment in our country, and now is the time for us to choose kindness, tolerance, understanding, empathy, and most importantly … it’s time to love each other. Every life is precious, and we must understand we have so many more things that unite us than divide us.

“I’ve always been inspired and encouraged by examples set by those who came before us like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and so many others who devoted their lives to find peaceful ways to rid our society of social inequities. As Dr. King said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied to a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” We are all part of this and we must banish these types of injustices in not just our country, but our world. The ultimate future of our nation is in our hands, and like the teams I’ve been privileged to coach, we must depend on and respect each other no matter our differences. We must come together as a society and treat one another with respect and dignity.”

Following Saban’s released statement, SEC Network host Paul Finebaum expressed his disappointment that not all coaches have come out and issued similar statements during his latest appearance on ESPN morning show, “Get Up.”

The way Finebaum sees it, the coaches that remain silent run the risk of losing support from the ones they need it from the most — their players.

“I think what Nick Saban did the other day is the obligation of every single head football coach in this country — and quite frankly, I haven’t heard very much,” Finebaum said on the show. “I think college football coaches have been derelict in their responsibility by being quiet.

“I certainly understand what Laura said, and talking to parents through Zoom or however, is one thing, but getting out in front of it and making a strong statement is another. And that’s what Saban did and others have done that as well. I don’t want to paint, well, I am painting a broad brush because quite frankly, I haven’t heard very much. There are good coaches out there who have done this, but every single football coach in this country needs to get out in front, or otherwise, they are going to lose the people that they depend on the most — their players.”