Nick Saban, the head coach for the football team of the Crimson Tide, has tested positive for the coronavirus. He is not the only one on campus as Greg Byrne, the athletic director also did.
“I found out earlier this afternoon that I had tested positive for COVID-19,” Saban said in a statement. “I immediately left work and isolated at home. At this time, I do not have any symptoms relative to COVID, and I have taken another PCR test to confirm my diagnosis.”
Until further notice, Offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, will oversee the operations with the team. Per the guidelines of the CDC, individuals who test positive must isolate for 10 days. Furthermore, contact tracing requires a 14-day quarentine.
“Today, I received notice that my COVID-19 test from this morning came back positive,” Byrne shared. “Upon hearing the news, I immediately entered self-isolation and will remain at home and follow all guidelines. We’ve been diligent about mask-wearing and social distancing from the start and want to continue to encourage you all to take the necessary precautions to help stop the spread of this virus for yourself and those around you.”
According to the team’s doctor, Jimmy Robinson, Saban and Bryne were the only two in the program to test positive. The football program has been testing daily since September.
Alabama (ranked No. 2) has a highly anticipated game this Saturday against No. 3 Georgia at 7 p.m CT. As of now, the game is still scheduled to take place.
