It hit every SMU football player similarly but differently. Spring football wasn't supposed to end prematurely. Then again, neither were sports in general -- on all levels.

SMU quarterback Shane Buechele, like many of his SMU teammates and classmates, never had an idea of how influential COVID-19 would be to the spring schedule. On the football field, March was supposed to be the month where the Mustangs, fresh off their first 10-win season since 1984, would build off strong momentum.

It was supposed to be a month of enthusiasm. It ended up being a month of lockdown.

Literally.

Walk the SMU campus and see what appears to be a beautiful-yet-desolate piece of land. All spring classes have been moved online because of the coronavirus. The NCAA has canceled all spring activities because of the virus -- which means Buechele, his teammates, coaches and other SMU staff members wait in limbo on the next steps in exiting from what some are now considering the "new normal."

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"We didn't know how big it would be. No one really knew," Buechele said of COVID-19. "We all were kind of caught off-guard and didn't know what to expect."

Unexpected changes in Dallas

Three spring practices in, SMU was looking the part of a 10-win team. The offense was clicking. The defense was finding new playmakers. And Buechele was connecting with receivers old and new.

By this time now, the Mustangs were supposed to be preparing for their annual spring game, which would have been played in two weeks. By this time, the Mustangs were supposed to have tons of positive stories about how in sync the offense would be or how physical the defense would be.

Instead, a global pandemic has halted all activities. And by all activities, people can't go to the grocery store for basic items without fear of those items not being in stock.

"For us, going into spring football, we had those three practices. All three of them, we were getting better, especially with our new OC in Coach [Garrett] Riley," Buechele said. "We went on spring break, and we were super excited.

"There was that Thursday, and then that following Friday, we found out that everything would be postponed."

When Buechele got the news, he, like many, had hoped that everything would be under control in a short time. A few days after hearing that the NCAA canceled all spring activities, SMU announced that it would move to online classes only. Add to it the news of "Shelter in Place" rules in and around Dallas County, as well as announcements of schools around the country, from elementary schools to colleges, going to online-only format.

Sports were taken away altogether. The American Athletic Conference was the first NCAA league to publicly announce the cancellation of its conference basketball tournaments. The NBA postponed its season. As did the NHL, Major League Baseball and every other professional sports league.

From there, local businesses were ordered to shut down, and occupations considered as "essential" were the only ones continuing regular practice. The busiest streets in Dallas -- from Highway 75 to Interstates 635, 35 and 20 -- could be mistaken for ghost-town avenues at certain times of the day.

Just like that, life had changed. Drastically.

Forget everything that happened with SMU's football program in those three days of spring practice. While a goal was to improve as athletes during the offseason, one goal topped them all -- for everyone to stay healthy. Period.

"There's nothing we can really do, and there's so much unknown with it," Buechele said. "Once we found out, everyone was pretty bummed out."

Daily adjustments and activities

There's no football. So what does Buechele do when there's no football?

As the quarterback of the Mustangs, Buechele said maintaining accuracy is key. He said he's been focused on staying in the motion of throwing. The unexpected rest has been appreciated, as he and the other SMU quarterbacks threw a lot during the first weeks of the spring.

Now, Buechele said he works on a lot of different throwing motions, from off-balanced to off-platform.

"I'm really working on fundamentals right now, just so you don't lose those types of things," he said. "I've got a couple of nets where I've been able to do some stuff. You have to find ways to maintain accuracy and just stay fresh."

As a philanthropist, Buechele may have put his best foot forward as an ambassador for SMU. He and his girlfriend, Paige Vasquez, are spearheading a GoFundMe effort to raise funds for COVID-19 relief. As of Saturday, Buechele and Vasquez have helped raise more than $16,700 from more than 100 donors collectively.

"It was actually Paige's idea," Buechele said. "We were bouncing thoughts back and forth, and she said, 'I want to do something that'll help with all this.' The best thing we could do is try to raise some money.

"We knew people were around donating meals, but the best thing she was saying was to start the GoFundMe and use the platforms we have to try and raise as much money as possible."

The hardest part for Buechele was getting the idea to pass with the NCAA. Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence was the first known college football player to attempt to raise money through GoFundMe for COVID-19 relief, but originally, the NCAA told him he couldn't do it. The NCAA later reversed its decision.

Since then, Lawrence and Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger -- Buechele's former teammate and good friend -- have participated in raising funds online. And once Buechele got NCAA clearance, he and Vasquez set a goal of raising $50,000.

"I knew once we got it cleared with the NCAA, we'd be OK," Buechele said. "We told them what our goal was and what we wanted to do with the money, and they said it's no problem.

"They're excited for us, and we're definitely excited to do it."

Another thing that's kept Buechele occupied? How about cooking. Buechele and Vasquez have been tag-teaming on new food dishes during these times of being in the home. Both are enjoying the new hobby, and it's become a time where they can not only bond but also take advantage of healthy eating options.

"It's a fun thing to where we're learning different dishes," Buechele said. "And she makes a mean chicken teriyaki stir fry."

'Controlling what we can control'

For many, getting back into a normal rotation has become more and more difficult as the days pass. Buechele is one of those who believes the current situation could be extended longer than some assume.

He's also hoping that he's wrong.

"All these dates being thrown out as the hopeful times ...," he said. "I think it'll last longer, and that's where my head's at, but the biggest thing we're doing is controlling what we can control."

To Buechele, that means doing everything he's been asked of him and not toeing the line. He doesn't leave the house. He's working out at his place since there the gyms are closed. He's still taking graduate school classes, so he's making sure he stays on top of all assignments.

Buechele is eating right. He's practicing social distance. He's washing his hands, and keeping his hands away from his face.

From a football perspective, he's watching film, maintaining proper throwing rotation and staying in touch with Riley, head coach Sonny Dykes, strength and conditioning coach Kaz Kazadi and the rest of the SMU coaching staff.

He's also making sure that his teammates are doing the same. As a captain of the team, that's a priority on his to-do list.

"We're all still in school right now just trying to finish the semester strong," Buechele said. "Besides football, I've been in touch with guys just making sure they're good -- making sure we're all good."

Buechele is doing everything he's supposed to. That said, he's hoping everything else will simply fall into place.

"As much uncertainty there is right now," he said, "I think the biggest thing is to do that and just continue to go throughout our days not being in fear of what's going on."