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Florida is out of action once again this weekend, as the COVID-19 outbreak on the team that led to the postponement of last week’s LSU game also resulted in a one-week delay in the Gators’ matchup with Missouri.
Coach Dan Mullen, who announced on Saturday that he had tested positive for the virus, said that he’s doing well.
“I get my bedroom and I have an office off my bedroom, so I’ve been in there the whole time,” he said.
Mullen reports he’s “doing fine” and that Megan and their two children repeatedly have tested negative for COVID-19. Kudos to dad for stopping the spread.
The team suspended all football activities last Tuesday after 19 players tested positive for COVID-19. Now, UF has 25 active cases on its football team.
According to The Athletic, the latest round of PCR tests on Wednesday showed only one new case, and barring something unforeseen, the team should be able to meet the 53 minimum scholarship players required to compete against the Tigers on Halloween.
Mullen said that he believed the outbreak stemmed from travel and lodging on the team’s trip to College Station, Tex., for its game against Texas A&M on Oct. 10.
“I think it started on the plane ride there where one or two guys might’ve had it getting on the plane” even though every passenger had tested negative for COVID-19 the previous day.
“It started with a little bit of a spread there (on the flight), and then you go into the one guy had a roommate on the road, so it spread to that roommate. And then you had a pregame meal where these people sat at a table. And then you’ve got the plane ride home.”
According to Mullen, the plan is for football activities to resume on Monday, giving the team a full week of practice ahead of the game against Mizzou. Those that tested positive last week should be cleared to practice by then.
Players and coaches who were exposed to the virus but haven’t tested positive were placed on 14-day isolations, but some will be available to practice before the Missouri game, Mullen said.
“We won’t be at full capacity as a team, but we feel pretty comfortable that our numbers would be at a point where we can play the game,” Mullen said.
Things appear to be trending up for the Gators after an outbreak threatened their season. We will keep you updated as more information on this developing story becomes available.
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