Kansas Jayhawks senior defensive back will opt out of 2020 football season
Kansas senior football defensive back Julian Chandler has opted out of the rest of the 2020 season because of COVID-19 coronavirus concerns, he reported Wednesday on Twitter.
“This year has been full of surprises since January 1st,” Chandler, a 6-foot, 182-pound senior from Houston, wrote on Twitter. “From the pandemic as well as the many racial injustice instances. COVID-19 changed things for many of us. With deep concern for my family’s health as well as mine, I have decided to opt out of the 2020 season. Thank you to the University of Kansas for giving me the opportunity to earn my degree. Thank you to coach Miles and his staff for everything.”
Chandler did not play in KU’s opener against Coastal Carolina. He was listed this week as backup to senior Nate Betts on the depth chart at the HAWK position on defense.
“Julian Chandler notified us of his decision to opt-out of the 2020 college football season due to COVID-19 health concerns for himself and his family. We fully support his decision,” KU coach Les Miles said Wednesday in a statement.
Chandler played in one game his junior season following a redshirt year in 2018. If he wished, he could return to the KU team next season. The NCAA has implemented a rule allowing athletes to opt out of the 2020 campaign because of COVID-19 concerns and still remain on scholarship. All athletes playing football this season will receive an extra year of eligibility. He did not answer a request for comment via a Twitter direct message.
He’s the second KU player to opt out this season. Offensive lineman Antione Frazier not only opted out in the preseason but entered the transfer portal.
KU will play Baylor at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in Waco, Texas. KU football currently has zero positive cases of COVID-19 in the program, KU officials told The Star on Wednesday.
This story was originally published September 23, 2020 at 3:36 PM with the headline "Kansas Jayhawks senior defensive back will opt out of 2020 football season."
