Smart cautiously relieved virus’s impact remains low for Bulldogs

ATHENS — In so far as can be determined, the Georgia football team has not had anything close to an outbreak when it comes to its battle with the coronavirus pandemic. But there was no chest- beating in the Bulldogs’ camp Tuesday in the wake of news that two SEC schools have been hit hard by coronavirus issues.

The No. 3 Bulldogs ( 3- 0), who face No. 2 Alabama on Saturday in Tuscaloosa, have made it through threegames with close to a full roster of players.

Asked after the Bulldogs’ practice Tuesday how his team is doing against the virus, coach Kirby Smart said, “There’ s really no way to tell .”

“The biggest thing is you’re one day away, one test away, one situation away from being in a situation like Florida’s in. You know, we’ve been very fortunate. I think Ron ( Courson) and his medical staff has done a great job for us,” he said of Georgia’s director of sports medicine. “We feel like our players are doing a good job, but I’ll be honest with you: When they’re not at the facility, I don’t know what they’re doing.”

College teams don’t have the luxury of staying ina true “bubble,” because the players have to attend classes. Most of Georgia’s football players are taking them online, but a handful enter classrooms on campus.

Meanwhile, after games and practices, players are free to do what they wish. They’re constantly warned and face discipline for not adhering to protocols. But otherwise they are free to do as they want. Downtown Athens and its nightlife loom as a constant threat.

“The biggest concern that we have is postgame and then Sundays,” Smart said. “They’re back into a routine Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. But you’re one exposure, one outbreak away from losing some guys.”

SEC teams are required to test players twice aweek, on Tuesdays and Sundays. Georgia tests its players three times, including the day of the game, and can test at any time. They post news throughout the football facility of other teams’ outbreaks, in football and other sports.

“We’ve been fortunate so far, but we don’t even have all our results back fromthis week,” Smart said.

The Bulldogs lost seven players to confirmed virus cases in June, when the team returned to campus for volunteer workouts, according to UGA’s response last month to a request by The Atlanta Journal- Constitution for testing records. The athletic department has not released results since then.

Meanwhile, most players who have had to sit out in the first three weeks of the delayed SEC season have had injury explanations. This week, Smart said linebacker Jermaine Johnson has been “banged up,” and running back James Cook suffered a shoulder injury against Auburn. This pastweekend, receiver Tommy Bush was the victim of an automobile-versus- pedestrian accident that will require some dental and facial surgery.

Otherwise, it appears Georgia’s roster is at or near capacity.