Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
No Owls test positive for coronavirus
In light of news about student-athletes throughout the nation testing positive for coronavirus after returning to campus, FAU coach Willie Taggart feels good about the university’s plan in welcoming back its football players.
Nobody on the Owls football team has recorded a positive COVID-19 test through the first 2 1⁄2 weeks of having players back on campus, according to a university spokesperson. Returning FAU football players — including those who were early enrollees from the 2020 recruiting class — returned to campus for voluntary on-campus athletic activities starting June 8 while newcomers — freshmen and transfers — joined them Monday.
Players were required to submit a negative COVID-19 test result before starting the on-campus workouts. Several
universities throughout the country have announced multiple student-athletes testing positive since returning to campus.
“I think we all knew some people were going to test positive when they came back,” Taggart said. “It’s unfortunate for a lot of programs, and I can really only speak for our program. I know we have a really good plan in place for our guys to come back.”
A part of that plan is wearing masks, limiting the number of people in the weight room, daily temperature checks and studentathletes being required to submit a COVID-19 screening questionnaire before workouts.
Taggart said he doesn’t plan on implementing a teamwide curfew to prevent players from potentially being exposed or contracting the virus.
“It’s all about trust — trust that our players are going to the right thing when they’re away from here,” Taggart said about not having curfews. “And not just our players, but our coaches [too]. A lot of education is going to come with that and constant reminders of doing the right things, wearing your masks when you’re out and about and trying to social distance.
“We’ve got to trust that we’re going to make the right decisions away from here.”
Taggart said he isn’t concerned about the college football season being canceled, with the Owls’ first game of the 2020 season scheduled against Minnesota on Sept. 3.
The NCAA Division 1 Council approved a six-week football preseason program June 17 that would allow programs to start activities in early or mid-July, which will be especially important for the Owls with Taggart entering his first year as coach and because they didn’t have spring practices due to the pandemic.
“We’re all learning something new about this virus,” Taggart said. “All I can do is control the things we can control and that’s just preparing as if there’s going to be a season until they tell us there’s not.”