COVID-19 strikes again, this time with QB Peters
The“WeWant to Play” campaign neverwas a guarantee that“WeWill Play.”
An ultimately successful attempt to push the Big Ten into playing during a pandemic has left many on the sidelines in a season promising to be filled with risks and pitfalls.
In just the secondweek of the season, the conference is 0-for-2 in getting through it virus-free.
Wisconsin’s and Illinois’ starting quarterbacks, whose teams played each other Oct. 23 inMadison, contracted COVID-19.
Wisconsin announced earlier in the week it canceled its Saturday game againstNebraska as positive tests mounted. As of Saturday, the team knew of 22 positive tests— 12 players and 10 staff members, including quarterback GrahamMertz and coach Paul Chryst.
Shortly before kickoff against Purdue on Saturday in Champaign, Illinois announced quarterback Brandon Peters and tight end GriffinMoorewould not play in the home opener. They tested positive Thursday and will sit out 21 days, per Big Ten rules.
Twelve other Illini players sat out. Coach Lovie Smith said “most” missed the 31-24 loss because of contact-tracing quarantines, which Illinois followed at the suggestion of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and local health protocols. Hewould not say if any staff members contracted COVID-19.
“It hit us late in theweek,” Smith said. “It’s hard to tell where it came from. Didwe go toWisconsin? Yes. Did we spend the night inWisconsin? Yes, we did. We were on a bus.
“We’re not in a bubble. We live in the world. Things can happen. We don’t have a big problem on our team with guys who tested positive.”
On Thursday, Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, aHeisman Trophy favorite, announced he contracted COVID-19. More than 30 games throughout FBS have been postponed or canceled since the start of the season.
The Big Ten indicated it could be different.
Afterwatching the SEC, ACC and Big 12 continue to play, Big Ten presidents and chancellors reversed course after initially delaying its season until potentially the spring. The conference faced pressure from conservative politicians — including the president— lawyeredup parents of players and the prospect of losing millions of dollars.
Many players pushed for stricter protocols. And many campaigned with the“WeWant To Play” rally cry.
Touting its top-notchCOVID-19 safety regulations thatwere stricter than any other conference, the Big Ten kicked off its season lastweekend.
Daily testingwas presented as a near-guarantee— and interpreted that way by legions of fans, players, players’ parents and others— the Big Ten plan was as flawless as possible.
Instead, it’s not that much different than other conferences so far.
None of this is shocking— but rather predictable.
Illinois state health officials on Saturday reported 7,899 new known COVID-19 cases, surpassing Friday’s single-day record and pushing the total number of confirmed cases since the pandemic’s onset to 410,300. Officials also announced 46 fatalities, Saturday, bringing the statewide toll to 9,757.
Wisconsin state health officials also reported a single-day high Saturday with 5,278 new cases, breaking Tuesday’s record.
Yet too many coaches, fans and sports media continue to discussCOVID-19 as if it’s a sprained ankle instead of a contagious and dangerous virus.
Whether Lawrence could return for the top-ranked Tigers’ game againstNo. 4NotreDame on Saturday— Clemson has ruled him out— was the topic of conversations rather than his health or if anyone outside of the team has been infected. Wisconsin’s chance at a Big Ten championship being in peril because of missed games is more of a worry than what this means forMadison, Wis., public health.
Long-term health effects, even for young people who recover, are unknown.
A test result is only as good as the second it’s taken. Days can pass before an asymptomatic carrier tests positive.
Athletes’ ability to spread the virus is no different from anyone. It isn’t limited to the confines of their stadiums. It can be passed to vulnerable people in their communities and their families in that time.
“We don’t have a lot of positives,” Smith said. “Contact tracing has knocked more of our players out even thoughwe test each day.”
But aswe have seen, that’s no guarantee.