When Concordia College Alabama announced it had decided to end its football program Tuesday, it was disappointing news for many in the community.

Perhaps none were more disappointed than the roughly 80 scholarship football players and the football coaches, who worked hard this season to stay competitive in games, fighting through injuries and inexperience while never giving up.

Concordia chief financial officer Dexter Jackson said Tuesday that it wasn’t a call the school wanted to make, but it was one that was necessary to make due to finances.

While the student athletes won’t be playing football at Concordia, they still have the opportunity to graduate on scholarship as long as they keep the minimum required GPA of a 2.0.

It can’t be easy to find out something you’ve worked so hard for is suddenly gone, but it’s at least comforting to know that these student athletes will have a chance to graduate on scholarship if they choose.

Concordia football head coach Stanley Conner said one of the greatest gifts he received as a head coach was the ability to see his players graduate. While the news of the football program closing its doors wasn’t what he wanted to hear, he still looks forward to seeing his players graduate and maintaining a friendship with them long after college.

We hope that every football player at Concordia is able to find another way to have success, whether it be playing football elsewhere or by finishing out their scholarship at Concordia with a degree.

It is never good news to hear that a football program made up of so many players has to shut down. We are hopeful and confident that every Concordia football player will turn this negative into a positive.

In addition, we hope Concordia can eventually return to a point where it is able to bring back a football team.