VALDOSTA, Ga. – Last month, the Gulf South Conference announced it was postponing competition in football, volleyball, soccer and men's and women's basketball until at least January 1, 2021.  
 
Looking to bounce back from a disappointing NCAA second round playoff loss in 2019, the Valdosta State football team had its sights set on its third-straight Gulf South Conference championship in 2020 and a run at another national championship.
 
Despite the postponement of football for the fall, junior linebacker Jackson Bull sat down to talk about the impact of the pandemic has had dating back to March.
 
Bull, a native of Fleming Island, Fla., and Fleming Island High School, has played 24 games with one start for his career.  He has 40 tackles with 26 solo stops, while registering 9.5 tackles for loss for 46 yards and five sacks for 31 yards.  He helped lead VSU to the program's fourth national title as a true freshman in 2018.    
 
This past season, Bull played in all 11 games with one start, finishing with 22 tackles and 17 solo stops.  He had eight tackles for loss for 19 yards and four sacks helping lead the Blazers to their second-straight Gulf South Conference title.
 
Below is the Q&A session with Bull.
 
1)Coming off last season, what were your hopes and goals for the 2020 season both you individually and as a team?
"Individually my goal was to improve myself and get better at my game.  As a team, to win both our conference and a national championship."

2) When you first heard the NCAA postseason was cancelled for the fall, how did it make you feel?
"I was disappointed for myself and my team, especially the seniors on the team and the coaches."

3) What was the conversation like with the team and coaches when the announcement was made on the season being postponed?
"Quiet, everyone was shocked, but at the same time, we all felt like it was coming.  The coaches were positive and encouraging and assured us we were going to get past this and grow as a team.  The coaches also said during this time we are going to focus our efforts to prepare for the season whenever it comes."

4) How was your summer, did you go home or stay in Valdosta? Were you impacted by COVID-19 this summer and if so, how?
"I went home to St. Augustine, Florida. I did not contract COVID-19, but my dad did and was hospitalized for five days.  Although I had read about COVID-19, it really hit home when my dad was sick. It was day-to-day for five days and a lot of anxiety as to what treatments they could give him and if they were going to work to get his oxygen levels back to normal.  Ultimately the antibody blood transfusion was successful and he now is negative for COVID-19. Other impacts were the inability to work out as normal as I had to improvise at home until Florida phases allowed the reopening of gyms."

5) You guys were one of the few teams in the country who got a complete spring season done prior to COVID.  How do you feel that will help this fall in practice and when the team returns to play games?
"A team is a brotherhood and I feel like it will help our chemistry. The connection of the team will also help with the adversity we are sure to face during a season.  It gave us an opportunity to build on the system we learned last year, to execute and identify the areas of strength and weaknesses."

6) What is the team's mentality and yours heading into the fall knowing there won't be games played?
"To focus on what we can control, focus on working out and watching film to get better."

7) What do you think is the biggest challenge now for VSU football heading into an unprecedented fall?
"Keeping the team focused on individual and team goals, maintaining a strong work ethic and dedication to the things we need to do to be successful.  We will need to keep our team chemistry and not allow ourselves to get rusty."