The college football players will do more risky behavior if they have a full free season. That's a fact. Why would you argue against a fact?
They'd also have more time to visit their grandparents. Which they would visit more often, if they aren't busy 12 hours a day with football activities and meetings.
OTOH, playing football they will have more time with immune compromised coaches, refs, trainers, players, & old "high risk" grandparent aged guys like Saban, etc. Additionally in practices & games they will have droplets & saliva flying everywhere while they butt heads in intimate contact with other players & roll around on the ground with them.
Outside of football they have the choice to avoid "high risk" situations such as that. Playing football they definitely do not & are forced into "high risk" stuff. That's the difference & it's huge.