Alabama’s Nick Saban tests positive for COVID-19 days before SEC showdown vs Georgia
After being pushed back several weeks, Georgia’s 2020 schedule has yet to really be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. That might be about to change.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban and athletic director Greg Byrne have tested positive for COVID-19, the school confirmed on Wednesday. The news comes three days before the Crimson Tide’s big SEC game against Georgia.
Saban, 68, reported no symptoms in a statement from the school.
“I found out earlier this afternoon that I had tested positive for COVID-19,” Saban said. “I immediately left work and isolated at home. At this time, I do not have any symptoms relative to COVID, and I have taken another PCR test to confirm my diagnosis. I informed our team of my positive test at 2 p.m. today on a Zoom call and let them know offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian will oversee preparations at the complex while I work from home.”
It remains to be seen if these tests, currently the only two known positives within the Crimson Tide program, will result in a postponement of Saturday’s game.
The Florida-LSU and Vanderbilt-Missouri games scheduled for this weekend have already been postponed because of virus-related issues at Florida and Vanderbilt. In both those instances, the Gators and Commodores were not going to have the required minimum of at least 56 scholarship players available to play.
Saban has been consistent with wearing face coverings in public and during games, AL.com reported. Alabama is one of the few schools that test daily for coronavirus, according to 247Sports national writer Brandon Marcello.
Saban plans to be fully involved with game planning and says he can do absolutely everything here” at home, he told reporters Wednesday evening. “I feel fine. I’m not that concerned about my health.”
It’s not clear what role, if any, Saban can or will have during Saturday’s game.
“I’m not sure how this is going to play out when the game comes, whether I can have any communication or not,” he said.
Georgia wide receiver Kearis Jackson, asked after Wednesday’s practice about the Saban news, said the concern on the Bulldogs’ side remained with preparing for the game. He called the rise in COVID issues in the SEC a “wakeup call.”
“We have to do the right things, wearing our masks and not being in places where people aren’t wearing theirs and things like that,” Jackson said. “We just have to continue doing a great job as a team, and staff by just making sure we’re wearing our mask and social distancing when we are out in public.”
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said earlier this week that his players and medical staff have done a good job avoiding an outbreak so far. But he added he does still worry about the players when they aren’t at the football facility.
“The biggest concern we have is postgame, Sunday and then they’re back into a routine Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,” Smart said. “You’re one exposure, one outbreak away from losing some guys. We’ve been fortunate so far, but we don’t have all our test results back even from this week.”
About the Georgia-Alabama football game
Who: No. 3 Georgia (3-0) at No. 2 Alabama (3-0)
Time: 8 p.m. Eastern
Place: Bryant-Denny Stadium (Tuscaloosa, Alabama)
TV: CBS
Line: Alabama by 6
This story was originally published October 14, 2020 at 6:05 PM.