Maryland football is ‘committed to getting back,’ but timeline for return is unclear
In the previous two weeks, 23 Maryland gamers and 7 employees members, together with Coach Michael Locksley, contracted the virus. The Terps had to cancel video games in opposition to No. 3 Ohio State after which Michigan State. Maryland’s sport at No. 9 Indiana is nonetheless per week away, but its tried preparation for the Michigan State sport ought to present a information.
As Maryland tried to return to observe this week, “we had all types of contingency plans,” Locksley stated. As lengthy because the crew may observe twice — even when these classes had been on the identical day, with one within the morning and one other within the afternoon — Locksley was optimistic the Terps may play. The program by no means acquired the required clearance to observe, but that versatile timeline gives encouragement for Maryland’s probabilities to resume crew actions in time for the Indiana sport. However, constructive checks subsequent week once more may derail this system’s return.
Speaking Thursday throughout a digital information convention, Locksley and head crew doctor Yvette Rooks wouldn’t forecast too far forward concerning the outlook for the Indiana sport. Rooks stated she’ll proceed to assess the crew’s testing knowledge and “it’s a day-by-day process.”
The crew moved right into a resort Nov. 11 and stayed by way of Sunday. The variety of new circumstances decreased over the weekend, Rooks stated, but the quantity grew once more early this week, which prevented the Terps from returning to observe. An identical uptick within the coming days may hinder Maryland’s skill to begin on-field preparation for the Hoosiers.
“We’re committed to getting back,” Athletic Director Damon Evans stated. “We’re committed to doing things to get everything under control so our student-athletes in the sport of football can get back to doing what they love to do, and that’s playing this game.”
Other school football groups have handled related outbreaks, which may provide attainable street maps for Maryland. Wisconsin, the one different Big Ten program that canceled video games due to the coronavirus, missed two matchups whereas navigating a similar-sized outbreak. After these two cancellations, the Badgers started common game-week preparation the Monday earlier than their subsequent sport in opposition to Michigan. At that point, Wisconsin announced this system had zero constructive circumstances on 5 of the earlier six days.
The Terps haven’t practiced since Nov. 10, but Rooks stated she was hopeful that if the outbreak didn’t worsen, gamers may return to “some kind of fitness or exercise training” this weekend.
“Are there some ideal times and numbers that you’d like from a practice standpoint? Sure,” Locksley stated. “But we’ve done quite a bit of virtual teaching and learning. For us, I think the big thing is the cardio conditioning of our players, as well as just having not played the game in two weeks.”
Even if Maryland is ready to play at Indiana, quite a few gamers will probably be unavailable due to the Big Ten requirement that athletes wait 21 days after contracting the virus earlier than returning to video games.
Nearly 1 / 4 of the Terps’ roster is in that 21-day course of. Eight gamers examined constructive for the coronavirus from Nov. 5 to 11. (Maryland performed at Penn State on Nov. 7.) Those athletes can be eligible to return between Nov. 26 and Dec. 2, relying on once they examined constructive, with the Indiana sport scheduled for Nov. 28. An extra 15 gamers examined constructive between Nov. 12 and 18. They can return to play between Dec. 3 and 9. (The sport at Michigan is scheduled for Dec. 5.)
Based on these timelines, any athlete who participated within the Penn State sport and has since examined constructive wouldn’t have the opportunity to play at Indiana but is perhaps eligible to return for the Michigan sport, relying on the date he examined constructive. Maryland doesn’t launch the names or positions of gamers who contract the virus, and the varsity has not supplied data extra particular than a cumulative whole of constructive outcomes throughout these week-long spans.
The 21-day absence is a minimal, and a participant’s return may take longer, primarily based on the outcomes of return-to-play well being screenings or conditioning ranges. Coaches are solely required to isolate for 10 days after constructive checks as a result of they don’t want to first undergo the identical cardiac screening as athletes, so Locksley will probably be ready to return Nov. 27, in accordance to a crew spokesman, and would thus have the opportunity to coach at Indiana.
“I have confidence that we’re going to get back on the field,” Rooks stated. “As we all know, this is a day-to-day operation when dealing with covid. Covid is very tricky and very slippery.”
Early within the week, Locksley FaceTimed with Michigan State Coach Mel Tucker. Locksley stated he assured his fellow Big Ten coach, “Look, our goal, once we get the go-ahead from our medical people, is we’re preparing to play.” The Terrapins confronted the identical state of affairs throughout their preparation for the Ohio State sport. Now Locksley, whereas main the crew from residence, may have to navigate an identical course of once more.
“Whenever I’m given the go-ahead by Dr. Rooks and the medical people,” Locksley stated, “I’ve got to come up with the best possible plan to have the team prepared to go out and compete at a high level.”
