Several Miami Hurricanes test positive for COVID-19. Sun Bowl to discuss with UM
Several Miami Hurricanes football players have tested positive for COVID-19, The Miami Herald learned on Tuesday, and Sun Bowl and University of Miami officials will discuss the situation on Wednesday.
UM is scheduled to play Washington State in the Sun Bowl at noon on Dec. 31 in El Paso. The game remains scheduled, but the situation is fluid. UM was originally scheduled to arrive in El Paso the day after Christmas.
Miami released a two paragraph statement at about 4 p.m. Tuesday that the “football program is currently in COVID protocols and is adhering to the outlined guidelines within the ACC Medical Advisory Group report, which is available on theACC.com (full report).”
“The University remains committed to its goal of participating in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, on Friday, December 31, against Washington State,’’ the statement continued, “while ensuring the continued health and safety of its student-athletes, coaches and staff.”
Sun Bowl media relations director Eddie Morelos told the Herald that the bowl “is committed to the safety of the student-athletes and to our football game as well. All we’re doing now is waiting for the next steps to see how we move forward.
“We haven’t gotten any word from Washington State,’’ Morelos said, when asked about the Cougars’ situation, “so as far as we know, no news is good news.’’
‘Health and safety’
Longtime Sun Bowl football committee chairman John Folmer told the Herald that bowl officials “have no idea of the magnitude of this.”
“We’ll find out tomorrow,’’ Folmer said. “It’s not about you or me. It’s about those players and the families that travel here. It’s all about the health and safety of them and our community.
“Having said that, we want everyone to know we’re expecting to have a good football game. If their doctors make a decision that they can’t come as early as they had planned, we’ll welcome them whenever.”
Added Folmer: “I just wrote the check today for 178, two-pound T-bone steaks for both teams on steak night. If they don’t make it in time, we’ll give them to charity, to people who need them.’’
On Monday, El Paso reported a “rolling seven-day average [COVID-19] positivity rate” of 14.88 percent.
Sun Bowl executive director Bernie Olivas was told by the Miami Herald on Tuesday afternoon that sources informed the Herald that several Miami Hurricanes players had tested positive for COVID-19.
Olivas was then asked by the Herald if the Sun Bowl was told about a COVID situation at UM.
“There is talk going around,’’ Olivas said. “But we haven’t settled on anything yet. We’ll talk tomorrow.’’
Zoom meeting
Olivas said that bowl officials talk every day with UM and are scheduled to have a Zoom meeting with Miami officials Wednesday morning.
According to a source, the Hurricanes had planned for a full contact practice on Tuesday but changed it to a walk-through in the wake of multiple players testing positive for the virus.
It’s unclear who the players are that tested positive, and how many. One source described it as more than a few but not anything close to half the team.
At 88 years old, the Sun Bowl is the nation’s second-oldest bowl game. Last year, when college football schedules were shortened and heavily affected by the pandemic, the Sun Bowl was canceled well before teams were chosen. Folmer said tickets were selling briskly.
“People turn TVs on for Miami,’’ Folmer said. “Great name, great history.’’
Omicron variant
Former UM coach Manny Diaz said in late July that nearly 85 percent of the team was vaccinated. But the Omicron variant, which is highly contagious, has caused a recent surge in positive cases and it’s not known how many, if any, of the Hurricanes have gotten booster vaccines.
Last year, many coaches across college football, including Diaz and some assistants, tested positive. Popular, longtime head trainer Vinny Scavo, now 62, was the first football staffer other than Diaz to announce he was recuperating from COVID-19. Scavo spent several days in the hospital before recovering.
The Canes paused their season for nearly three weeks in November 2020, forcing cancellation of games against Georgia Tech and Wake Forest. The Canes played their 2020 regular season finale against Duke without 15 players, mostly due to COVID-19.
This story was originally published December 21, 2021 at 2:03 PM.
