Syracuse, N.Y. -- Syracuse junior quarterback Tommy DeVito is one of 65 football players who've returned to the SU campus, according to a story on the school's athletics website Tuesday. The football program also made the announcement on its Twitter page.

The university opened its doors to student-athletes on Monday, and according to the story on the website tested 130 players, coaches, and staffers for COVID-19 at the Ensley Center Tuesday. It's the first step in SU's plan to safely reopen the weight room and other training facilities to athletes from all fall sports.

The 2019 captain Aaron Servais, the team's elder statesman with 37 career starts under his belt, says while it's great to be back, things definitely do look and feel different.

"You can see it here today. There's a protocol we have to follow," Servais said. "We'll start out in small groups and then branch out past that [in the coming weeks]. But I feel like the University has taken a lot of good measures to help keep us as safe as possible." 

The players will be isolated in small pods until the next phases are implemented, likely next month, with the goal of the entire team being reunited in time for training camp. Practice is scheduled to begin August 5 with the season opener at Boston College slated for Friday, September 4.