Louisville Pauses All Football Activities, Postpones Game vs. Virginia Due to COVID-19
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Louisville football has paused all team-related activities indefinitely due to a "heightened quantity of positive COVID-19 tests and accompanying contact tracing measures among staff & team members", the program announced on Wednesday.
“We are taking a precautionary measure to pause due the number of student-athletes and staff that have been impacted by the virus,” Athletic Director Vince Tyra said in a statement. “With Virginia and us both having a bye week on November 14, we are fortunate to reschedule the game for that date. It also avails us a chance to gauge any further spread of the virus. Test results from both Friday and Sunday will dictate when we return to team activities. We appreciate the ACC and Virginia working with us at this time.”
Louisville's upcoming matchup with Virginia, which had previously been scheduled for this upcoming Saturday in Charlottesville, Va., has now been tentatively rescheduled for Saturday, November 14 at 3:30 p.m. on the ACC Network. Both teams previously had a bye scheduled for that week.
Tyra says that the program currently has 10 COVID-19 cases among players, with an additional five in quarantine due to contact tracing. The Cardinals also have five cases with support staff and two more in quarantine to bring the total affected up to 22. No members of the coaching staff have tested positive or been identified through contact tracing.
He also noted that the spread was "centered around the defensive line" and that Louisville was down to just three scholarship defensive linemen as a result. Fortunately, according to Tyra, all those who have tested positive are currently experiencing "mild to less" symptoms.
Just three hours before kickoff in Louisville's previous game vs. Virginia Tech last Saturday, it was announced that nine players would be unavailable for the game against the Hokies due to COVID-19. Of those nine: four were starters, six were defensive linemen and eight were defensive players.
According to protocols set forth by the ACC Medical Advisory Group, an athlete who tests positive must isolate for 10 days from the onset of symptoms or a positive test and must be one day removed from recovery. One who is identified through contact tracing must complete a 14-day quarantine.
(Photo of Cardinal Stadium: Matt McGavic)
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