Notre Dame will resume group practices Wednesday after reporting 18 positive coronavirus tests on Monday, however the program has altered the method it will eat its pregame meals and will now have quick antigen tests readily available on the sideline since of lessons learned from their break out, coach Brian Kelly told ESPN on Tuesday.
Kelly stated group doctors determined that the break out, which resulted in 25 players in isolation and 14 others in quarantine, stemmed from two events surrounding the Sept. 19 video game versus South Florida: consuming their pregame meal together, and one gamer who tossed up on the sideline during the game and was treated for dehydration.
Kelly stated the modification in routine from summertime camp to game week exposed brand-new difficulties that might have only been found with the start of the season.
” Throughout our entire time together, we had actually not had one meal where we sat down together,” Kelly stated. We get into our game scenario where we have pregame meal together, and that expense us.
1 RelatedKelly said the team will now eat its pregame meals at a convention center that has large ballrooms where its much easier for the players to stay at least 6 feet apart and not have any face-to-face contact. Kelly said he has to wear a microphone to be heard in such a big area.
” Its a reality were dealing with,” Kelly stated, “and if you wish to play football, youve got to make some adjustments along the method.”
The player who tossed up during the South Florida game didnt have a concussion or any other injuries, Kelly said, so the medical staff treated him for dehydration. The player then evaluated favorable Monday, Kelly said.
” In attempting to discern the distinction between somebody who might be dehydrated in a game and having the effects of COVID on the sideline, [it] becomes very tricky,” Kelly stated. “Just being watchful and understanding that this thing can conceal in so many different areas make it a tricky proposal, even if youre doing all of the ideal things.
” We need to think of giving antigen tests on the sidelines for things that we never thought about,” Kelly said. “Thats the sort of shifting sands in this entire thing, discovering in-game what do you do, what do not you do. We check Friday nights, too, so youre hoping your PCR test is getting that, however its still a 50-50 proposition if youre preparing over that time, so theres still a little bit of unpredictability.”
Notre Dames 18 positive tests originated from a round of 273 tests that were performed in between Tuesday and Saturday. Kelly stated he expects almost 90% of the group to be able to practice by Saturday. He said they have been having Zoom position conferences, conditioning in smaller sized groups, and viewing video game film in preparation for their Oct. 10 game versus Florida State.
Notre Dame started 2-0 with wins over Duke and South Florida, however had its Sept. 26 game against Wake Forest held off up until Dec. 12. The Irish have a bye week, and Kelly said that in his 30 years of coaching he has actually never ever started a season and then picked up 2 weeks.
” They can rebound from this, but its not the perfect situation,” Kelly said. “You do not wish to start your season and after that need to take a few weeks off. From that viewpoint, weve got to get our timing back, and definitely well have to have an excellent week of practice, and we anticipate to be able to do that.”
Kelly said one motivating lesson from this break out was that Notre Dame believes there wasnt a great deal of on-field transmission, if any, to South Florida. He stated due to the fact that of that, he believes “college football remains in good condition.”
” Having gone through what we went through, were feeling pretty positive that thats not going to be the area that we require to keep an eye on,” Kelly stated. “The location we require to continue to watch on and be alert is your own group as it relates to social distancing, masks, when youre eating, things of that nature.
” The basic criteria of this are still in play, and youve got to be diligent with them, even when its right approximately video game time, whichs the lesson we learned.”
” Throughout our entire time together, we had actually not had one meal where we sat down together,” Kelly stated.” We have to think about giving antigen tests on the sidelines for things that we never thought of,” Kelly said. Kelly stated he anticipates nearly 90% of the group to be able to practice by Saturday. He said they have been having Zoom position meetings, conditioning in smaller sized groups, and enjoying video game film in preparation for their Oct. 10 game versus Florida State.
” They can rebound from this, however its not the ideal situation,” Kelly stated.
