The Oklahoma football program is setting an example for all of college football in this new and frightening world of COVID-19.
For a third consecutive week, the Sooners report no new cases of the coronavirus. In a data release posted on the school’s athletic website on Thursday, OU reported that 96 members of the football team were tested and no one tested positive for COVID-19. Sixteen players are in recovery.
No staff members tested positive either. It is the second straight week in which no active cases were reported among the players or staff.
Oklahoma players did not return to campus for voluntary workouts until July 1, several weeks after most other schools. That decision by head coach Lincoln Riley and athletic director Joe Castiglione appears to have been very astute and a prime reason the Sooners are doing so well protecting the players and staff from exposure to the coronavirus.
Upon the return of the players to the Norman campus, 14 active cases were reported among the players and support staff. When everyone was tested again in Week 2, five had recovered and there were nine active cases. Since then, there have been no active cases.
Oklahoma men’s and women’s basketball players also have returned to campus to begin workouts. Out of that group (14 men’s players and 11 women’s players), one of the women players tested positive and is quarantining, and another woman player was deemed a contact and is currently in isolation.
Oklahoma is currently schedule to begin the 2020 season on Sept. 5 at home against Missouri State. Castiglione is attempting to get the game moved up to the weekend before, which would create an open date between each of the team’s first three games and allow for coronavirus testing between games. Although there is still some question whether the Sooners will play any games outside of the conference this season.