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Oklahoma HC Riley: Nine Players Test Positive for COVID-19

Lincoln Riley shouting at official

Oklahoma football coach Lincoln Riley announced on Saturday nine players have tested positive for COVID-19 in the team’s latest round of testing.

The team received the test results just before Riley made the announcement, per The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach. Aside from the players who tested positive, an undisclosed number have been put in isolation because of contract tracing, according to Eric Bailey of Tulsa World.

“Disappointed by the news. We’ve done such a tremendous job this entire time. You know when you give players time, there is risk in that,” Riley said, per Bailey. “This isn’t the NBA … we don’t have a bubble. We all have to continue to work to do a better job by all accounts. We’re still confident in the plan that we have. We reference the [month-long] success that we’ve had.”

Players returned to campus on Friday after Riley gave them the week off from practice in light of uncertainties surrounding this season. Prior to Friday, the Sooners reported one positive test within the football program since July 1. 

Nonetheless, Riley believes that the cases are a result of community-spread, Auerbach reports.  Riley never said the program has traced the positive cases to the players who went home during the team’s break. Auerbach reports the Sooners have confirmed that 75% of players remained on campus during that time.

Oklahoma’s announcement comes days after the Big 12 said it plans on moving forward with a fall football season. The conference is set to play a 10-game schedule, and the Sooners will begin their season Sept. 12 against Missouri State.

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