Lincoln Riley: ‘Our team wants to play, but it’s a day-to-day thing’

Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley was asked on Monday if he was optimistic or pessimistic about his teams chances of playing the Baylor game on Saturday.

The Sooners paused all football activities late last week because of what was described by university officials and the Big 12 as COVID-19 positive test and contact tracing.

“You don’t have all the answers,” Riley said when asked during the Big 12 coaches teleconference what this week looked like in view of last week’s COVID outbreak. “It’s hard to say because you don’t always know exactly where this stuff is coming from.

“We haven’t really changed anything. We haven’t lessened anything,” he said. “And that’s the hard thing with this, especially with guys on college campuses. It can originate in so many places.”

“Hopefully, we can put together a whole week (of practice), get some guys on the right side of this and be able to go out on Saturday.” — OU head coach Lincoln Riley

Asked about the percentage of positive tests versus the number affected by contact tracing, Riley said:

“We’ve had both,” he said. “They’re all concerns, but I think the bigger concern is positive tests right now.”

Having enough players at the predesignated positions to play a game is definitely a concern, the Sooner head coach said, and something we may have to work through.

“It’s a little different in this scenario,” Riley said, “just because in the previous five days we’ve been allowed to do nothing. It would be different had we, even with limited numbers, been able to practice the remainder of last week or do something this last weekend.

“So hopefully we can get some of these guys back on the field, and see where we’re at. Hopefully, we can put together a whole week (of practice), keep some guys on the right side of this and be able to go out on Saturday.

The Baylor game on Saturday is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on FOX.