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COVID CASUALTIES...

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THE OKLAHOMAN & NEWSOK
NewsOK: Oklahoma City News, Sports, Weather & Entertainment


OU football: Position group virtually wiped out by COVID tests before recent scrimmage
by RYAN ABER
Published: Tue, August 25, 2020 4:22 AM Updated: Tue, August 25, 2020 2:43 PM


NORMAN — OU coach Lincoln Riley and his staff had to scramble last week after a round of COVID tests led to multiple players being quarantined and held out of practice.
Riley relayed the story Tuesday in a Zoom conference with reporters when asked about the possibility of players playing — or preparing to play — multiple positions.
"We lose all but one person at a position group — a major position group on the field — and we have to practice that day with a position where we had multiple players on the field at one time and we had one player there," Riley said.
Riley, who declined to identify the position group, said he learned of the tests the night before practice.

Riley's description figures to come from the Aug. 17 tests, when five players tested positive according to data OU released Monday.
"For us, it's been a call to every player on our roster that you've got to be willing to do whatever's called," Riley said. "Certainly it's on us to have a plan. I don't know that you can plan for all the scenarios because it can just go so deep right now, but I think you have a plan to cover as much of it as you can and we've certainly been working through it."
OU's Monday release said 17 players had active cases of COVID-19. Riley said Tuesday that "eight or nine" of those players were now back with the team.

COVID-19 hasn't been the only ailment on the Sooners' roster, though.
"We've had a stomach bug that I think has been raging through this part of the country a little bit. It's knocked several of our guys out as well," Riley said.
 
I just don’t get it. What’s happening to make any of us believe we are going to see college football this season that resembles what we want? At best, it’s going to be like an exhibition season, which suckS because nothing really should even count.
 
I just don’t get it. What’s happening to make any of us believe we are going to see college football this season that resembles what we want? At best, it’s going to be like an exhibition season, which suckS because nothing really should even count.

I do think every team including OU will have multiple starters on all positions. The true essence of a 'team' will be played out this year as the bench players will potentially see some starting time. But it's football. TBH, I'd rather the team play during the Covid times as opposed to sitting out because of a claims of social unjustices. But that's just me.
 
If there is football this season, I would like to have Riley redshirt every incoming freshman.
This is really a "non-season" for both football and baseball as far as I'm concerned.
 
If there is football this season, I would like to have Riley redshirt every incoming freshman.
This is really a "non-season" for both football and baseball as far as I'm concerned.
I may have read no-redshirts as it isn’t going to count against eligibility regardless
 
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That's good news.
Not so sure. No players will lose any eligibility, but new players are coming in next year. They just stated on ESPN , that apparently, there will be a roster size exemption for one year. But, after the first year, the coaches will be put in a position to tell 4th year players, Thanks, but we don't have enough room for you any more, You will need to move on. That will suck.
 
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Not so sure. No players will lose any eligibility, but new players are coming in next year. They just stated on ESPN , that apparently, there will be a roster size exemption for one year. But, after the first year, the coaches will be put in a position to tell 4th year players, Thanks, but we don't have enough room for you any more, You will need to move on. That will suck.

True. But the best ones are going to leave anyway for the NFL. In four years, I could see OU struggling w/ this on Offense, but not necessarily on defense. OU has room to grow there.
 
True. But the best ones are going to leave anyway for the NFL. In four years, I could see OU struggling w/ this on Offense, but not necessarily on defense. OU has room to grow there.
In 4 years it will all be sorted out. I'm talking about 2022/2023. And it is not about the best ones who leave early. It is about the rest of the players who are extended an extra year of eligibility. It sounds like a roster exception may be provided for 2021. Beyond that, still subject to 85 scholarships max. This means either older, less talented players will be asked to move along (lose their scholarships) or the incoming classes will be smaller to accommodate the extra eligibility given to existing players.
 
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