Missouri HC Eli Drinkwitz: SEC COVID-19 Testing 'Kind of a Free-For-All'

Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz told reporters Wednesday that the SEC has no uniform policy for reporting COVID-19 test results and expressed some frustration that not all schools publicly report their COVID-19 cases. 

"I really don't know what's going on in the league as far as COVID or COVID-related numbers,"  Drinkwitz said Wednesday, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "There's no uniform system on how we report it or [how] people talk about it. I don't know other than when coaches have said something [about their cases]. Each week we have no idea what's going on with other teams. So, it's kind of a free-for-all as far as that goes."

The Missouri coach was later asked if he was bothered that the conference does not release a weekly report on COVID-19 cases. 

"That's a decision for people above my head, and I'm not gonna wade into the waters on that one," he responded. "Good try, though. That was a good try."

Missouri had zero positive COVID-19 cases on Sunday and recently took part in another round of testing on Tuesday. The Tigers are expected to be tested again Thursday. 

The school was without five players due to COVID-19 testing during last Saturday's 38-19 loss to Alabama.

Earlier this month, ESPN published survey results that showed nearly half of the Power 5 teams won't disclose COVID-19 testing data.

Sports Illustrated's Ross Dellenger reported last week that the SEC recently altered its weekly protocol to remove its previously scheduled Friday antigen tests due to a proclivity of false positive results. The conference will instead conduct a third PCR test on Thursdays.

The SEC tests its players three times per week, but individual schools are able to test more than three times per week if they choose.

Missouri plays Tennessee this Saturday. Kickoff is set for noon ET.