Coastal Carolina coach ‘still a little apprehensive’ about virus heading into KU game
Obviously it’s a fluid situation, but as of Wednesday, Coastal Carolina’s football team had not been hit especially hard by COVID-19 coronavirus.
“We will be missing four guys that would have played — not necessarily starters, but guys who would have contributed heavily in special teams and in backup roles,” Coastal Carolina football coach Jamey Chadwell said Wednesday in a news conference set up to discuss Saturday night’s season opener at Kansas.
Chadwell didn’t offer exact numbers of Chanticleer players testing positive. KU on Wednesday reported three positives from players in the program.
Coastal Carolina players were tested Monday, then again Wednesday, with the Wednesday results not known at the time of Wednesday’s news conference.
“I’m still a little apprehensive. We’ve got these two tests to get through. I’m still a little cautious about it to be honest with you right now,” Chadwell said.
“We’ve got these two tests to get through to see who is getting on the bus or the plane for the trip,” he added.
The Chanticleers are planning on boarding a flight on Friday night in advance of the 9 p.m. kickoff Saturday at Booth Memorial Stadium.
“The good thing is on Friday when we get on the bus, when we get on the plane, everybody will be cleared from the virus because we test Friday before we leave,” Chadwell said. “Anybody on that trip should not have it. After the game when we come back, you have to figure out what happens when we are out there, but when we on the plane everybody on the trip will be cleared from the virus up to that point. That’s a positive.”
With future games in mind, the Coastal Carolina players will not room by position at the team hotel.
“Anybody going on the trip will be negative going out there. The challenge will be once you are out there and making sure you try to keep guys separated,” Chadwell said.
“Normally when you travel, you are staying in your rooms. You’ve got quarterbacks staying together, offensive line staying together. We are not doing that any more. We tried to be as strategic as we can in rooming certain people. That way if we lose somebody we are not losing the top backup or the next guy there. To me it’s not necessarily the traveling out it’s the coming back and while you are being out there and while they are in hotel rooms trying to minimize that. Once you get there and being back is what we have to be smart on.”
Chadwell said his players are enthused about the chance to play a game amid all the uncertainty regarding COVID-19. Coastal Carolina beat KU a year ago in Lawrence, 12-7.
“I don’t know if there will be a sense of relief … all the things you had to go through, all the trials, turmoils. I think being able to kick off, regardless of what happens (is important). Hopefully you play well and win. Regardless it will be a great opportunity for our players to get to play,” the coach said.
“There’ll be a lot of joy I believe with our players, just being out there and seeing them be able to do what they want to do. I think that’s what’s gotten caught up with a lot of people. They think it’s all the coaches want to play. Man, the players want to play. They are the ones doing all those things necessary to play. To see them reach a goal, fulfill a dream to be able get out there and play I’ll have a lot of joy from that knowing they get the opportunity.”
According to the Myrtle Beach Sun News, “there were only three positive cases at the school reported the week of Aug. 20-26, but there were 56 from Aug. 27-Sept. 2, bringing the total to 122 positive cases since testing began June 8. Students living in on-campus residences moved in by Sept. 3 — more than 4,000 were expected — and in-person classes began Tuesday, though students also have the option of taking classes online for the fall semester.”
