Chris Klieman alters practice plans as K-State football deals with new COVID outbreak
The Kansas State football team is once again dealing with a coronavirus outbreak.
Just when it looked like the Wildcats had figured out how to slow the spread of COVID-19 cases across their roster, eight players tested positive at some point last week, according to data released by the Riley County Health Department on Monday.
K-State coach Chris Klieman said those new cases have primarily impacted young, seldom-used players, but their absences will be noticeable as the team reunites for practice this week and begins to prepare for its next game at Iowa State on Nov. 21.
“I wish we could work a bunch of young guys but a number of our young guys late last week were either involved with a close contact or (tested) positive,” Klieman said. “We have got to look and see how many bodies we have available.”
Local health officials say there are currently nine active COVID-19 cases on K-State’s football roster. That number is up significantly since the county last released numbers on Friday when the Wildcats were only dealing with one active case. Overall, 75 members of the football team have tested positive since the pandemic began.
Most players who’ve tested positive have shown little or no symptoms, according to Klieman.
K-State (4-3, 4-2 Big 12) began the football season dealing with major COVID-19 issues and lost its opener to Arkansas State when nearly 40 players were sidelined for various reasons. But the Wildcats have taken the field most weeks with the majority of their key players healthy.
Only defensive back Justin Gardner missed K-State’s 20-18 loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday, because of an unexplained absence.
For now, the Farmageddon rivalry game with Iowa State does not appear to be in jeopardy.
Klieman plans to keep K-State players on campus all week as an extra precaution.
“We wouldn’t’ send anybody home,” Klieman said. “That would be crazy in the pandemic we are in.”
The outbreak will also change K-State’s practice plans in the short term. Klieman hoped to give many of K-State’s veteran players some time off this week, but that may no longer be possible.
“Our older guys are probably nicked up and need to get a rest,” Klieman said. “A number of our younger guys are not available. That makes it pretty unique and pretty different, but we will figure that out. We aren’t going to practice today, and we will probably get after it later in the week.”
The K-State football team isn’t the only group on campus dealing with a coronavirus outbreak.
There are currently 26 positive cases within the Wildcats’ track and field/cross country teams, according to county health data. One K-State fraternity and one K-State scholarship house are also currently dealing with five positive cases.
Coronavirus numbers are on the rise at the moment in the Manhattan area, as Riley County reported 126 new positive cases since Friday.
This story was originally published November 9, 2020 at 1:54 PM.