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Several days ago Oklahoma University had nine football players test positive for COVID-19 following a break. According to the University, the players and their contacts on the team we placed into quarantine until health officials gave them the all-clear.
The breakout came following a short six-day break in which over 70% of the players tried to stay in the Sooner “Bubble” while the others decided to… do other things. That shows an immediate upside and downside to asking young men, aka student-athletes, to follow guidelines set in place to limit the spread of the disease.
The problem is simple, student-athletes are students. And when more students come onto campus the chance of exposure rises. These are not paid, professional players, (that’s a debate for another time), who can remain in an NBA bubble.
OU coach Lincoln Riley spoke during a Zoom call with reporters to address the situation while noting that all of the exposures seemed to be community-based infections.
“(We are) so disappointed by the news, obviously,” said Riley. “We’ve done such a tremendous job really this entire time.”
Riley was also asked if he regretted giving his players a break from the schedule. Without the days off it would have meant a near two-month daily grind.
“It’s a hindsight decision. That would be pretty easy for me to say right now that I regret it,” Riley said. “I also feel like if I keep a team hemmed up here for a 6-7 week training camp, I would probably regret that, too.”
Before the break, the team went three-consecutive weeks with zero positive tests. Now, with the players isolated and the remainder of the team adhering to the squads COVID-19 protocols – it’s business as usual with the release of the Big-12 schedule.
The lack of a schedule is one thing Riley noted when talking about letting the team take a break. Why practice hard if you might not even play? That was a question players and staff had before the schedule being released.
“I don’t feel like it’s right of me to go out and practice our guys. Football is a risky sport in any time period, not even having them scheduled, and not even knowing if we’re gonna play,” Riley said. “I do believe now, having a schedule, knowing the Big 12 Conference has a plan to move forward toward a season, has helped that. It’s given some clarity and some direction that our players needed, no doubt about it.”
The Oklahoma Sooners start their 2020 season September 12 against Missouri State.
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FBS Conferences Still Scheduled to play in 2020
American Athletic Conference (AAC): Cincinnati, East Carolina, Houston, Memphis, Navy, SMU, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa, UCF and USF.
Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC): Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, NC State, North Carolina, Pitt, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and Notre Dame.
Big 12 Conference: Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech and West Virginia.
Conference USA: Charlotte, FIU, Florida Atlantic, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Middle Tennessee, North Texas, Old Dominion, Rice, Southern Miss, UAB, UTEP, UTSA and Western Kentucky.
Southeastern Conference (SEC): Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi (Ole Miss), Mississippi State, Missouri, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.
Sun Belt Conference: Appalachian State University, Arkansas State University, Coastal Carolina University, Georgia Southern University, Georgia State University, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, University of Louisiana at Monroe, University of South Alabama, Texas State University and Troy University.
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Big 12 Futures – Odds to Win 2020 Conference Championship
Oklahoma +100
Texas +140
Oklahoma State +600
Iowa State +1500
Baylor +2500
TCU +2500
West Virginia +2500
Kansas State +4000
Texas Tech +7500
Kansas +12500
