There were many concerns about the possible increased spreading of COVID-19 during football season. At both professional and amateur levels. And more and more cases involving football teams have been being reported.
Much of the concern has been focused on the players, who are frequently in close contact with each other by the game's very nature. Many players have caught the novel Coronavirus and could have to deal with severe consequences. But they're not the only ones. Two more Power Five head coaches have tested positive within days of each other.
Kevin Sumlin was the first to be reported
Kevin Sumlin is the head coach of the Wildcats of the University of Arizona. On October 5, reports began to surface that he had contracted the novel coronavirus. According to ESPN, so has his son.
The result for Sumlin was apparently from a test that he'd taken the week before. As would be expected, he quickly went into quarantine. He has continued working with the team, albeit remotely. The Wildcats are members of the Pac-12 Conference. Much like the Big Ten Conference, the Pac-12's football season was delayed because of COVID-19. Arizona's season is scheduled to begin on November 7 with a match-up against the University of Utah.
Sumlin hopes to be back by then.
But he has taken the opportunity to emphasize that people should be 'extremely aggressive' about taking precautions. Also, stating, 'this thing is serious.'
Sumlin has been the head coach at Arizona since 2018. He was previously the head coach at the University of Houston and Texas A&M University. The latter of which he led championships in the Cotton Bowl and what is now the Peach Bowl.
Sumlin himself played collegiately with Purdue University.
Les Miles was the second
Les Miles is currently the head coach of the University of Kansas' football team, nicknamed the Jayhawks. Three days after Sumlin, it was announced that Miles had also tested positive for COVID-19. And likewise, Miles also went into quarantine and began working remotely.
Kansas, a member of the Big 12 Conference, has begun its season. But, as noted by MSN, it was in a bye week when Miles' diagnosis was reported. The school hopes that he could be back by their next scheduled game. Currently set for October 17 against West Virginia University.
Miles' coaching career includes time as an assistant in the NFL. Afterward, he became the head coach with Oklahoma State University and Louisiana State University. He led LSU to a national championship for the 2007 season, along with two SEC championships. Under Miles, LSU's other successes include ones at the Sugar Bowl, Peach Bowl, and Cotton Bowl. He played college football with the University of Michigan, helping them win three Big Ten co-championships.
