Kansas Jayhawks football coach Les Miles tests positive for COVID-19
.JPG "Kansas Jayhawks football coach Les Miles, right, talks with Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy before Saturday’s game in Lawrence, Kan.")
Kansas football coach Les Miles has tested positive for COVID-19, he and athletic director Jeff Long announced on Thursday.
Miles, who will turn in 67 in November, is in his second season as KU coach.
“Today, I was notified that I have tested positive for COVID-19. I am beginning the isolation process at my home and will continue to fulfill my head coach responsibilities remotely,” Miles said in a statement.
“Although I will not physically be able to attend practice for the time being, I will be using the technology available for remote working to stay connected during staff meetings, meetings with players, etc.,” Miles added, noting, “Thank you for your prayers and support in advance. I look forward to beating this virus and returning back to be with my team in person very soon. Rock Chalk!”
In his own statement, Long said: “Coach Miles has tested positive for COVID-19 through our surveillance testing. At this time, we believe he will be able to continue to perform his head coaching duties. Based on the other test results, no other coaches tested positive. As long as Coach Miles does not develop symptoms or have a fever, we anticipate he will be able to coach the West Virginia game on Oct. 17.
“Kansas Team Health is working through the contact tracing protocols and notifying those individuals that may have been in close contact with him for an extended period of time. We wish Coach a speedy recovery and look forward to getting him back on the field very soon.”
Miles, when asked about injuries on the KU team by host Brian Hanni during Hawk Talk on Wednesday at Johnny’s Tavern West, said that he had “a cold.”
A request by The Star for KU coach Miles to comment on why he might attend Hawk Talk in person despite possibly having a cold was not immediately answered. A spokesperson for Lawrence Douglas County Public Health said Thursday in an e-mail to The Star that the organization is “working closely with the University of Kansas to identify potential close contacts,” of individuals with Miles.
Communications officer George Diepenbrock noted to The Star: “At this point, after communication with KU and the owner of Johnny’s Tavern West, we would not consider those in general attendance at Wednesday night’s airing of Hawk Talk to be at high risk for exposure. This is based on the protocols they had in place and implemented for the show, including social distancing, mask wearing during restaurant movement and use of plexiglass barriers.”
Diepenbrock added: “With all positive COVID-19 cases in Douglas County, Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health’s disease investigators work to identify close contacts — individuals who spent more than 10 minutes within 6 feet of the person who tested positive all the way back to 48 hours before the patient’s onset of symptoms. When close contacts are identified, a public health contact tracer will make contact and notify them they’ve potentially been exposed and that they need to quarantine for 14 days since their last exposure.
“Because risk of COVID-19 transmission is present in the community right now, we encourage anyone who feels symptomatic right now to self-quarantine and contact their healthcare provider.”
“Safety measures” for those attending Hawk Talk this season are printed on KUathletics.com: They read: “Masks are required to enter restaurant; fans will be seated immediately upon entry and can call ahead for table reservations; Coach Miles and Brian Hanni will be socially distanced by six feet or more from all guests; clear dividers will be added to separate coach Miles and Brian Hanni; no autographs/interaction with coach Miles or Brian Hanni.”
According to a person who has attended each of KU coach Miles’ Hawk Talk shows this season, Wednesday’s show “was not crowded at all. It was the worst attendance of the year.”
Oklahoma State also put out a statement concerning former Cowboys coach Miles contracting COVID-19.
Oklahoma State defeated the Jayhawks, 47-7, on Saturday, in Booth Memorial Stadium in Lawrence.
As reported by the Tulsa World, the statement read: “We are alert to Les Miles’ positive COVID test and continue to be diligent and persistent in our own testing efforts. Dr. Val Gene Iven has been in frequent contact with the Kansas team physician since the game, but based on CDC guidelines, nobody in our organization would go into immediate quarantine. That said, we will monitor this situation and wish Coach Miles a speedy recovery.”
Also, there was news regarding COVID-19 at Baylor University on Thursday. Baylor, which defeated KU, 47-14, on Sept. 26 in Waco, Texas, has suspended all football-related activities at this time, the school reported on its Website.
The report read: “As a precautionary measure, Baylor Athletics has suspended all football-related activities to allow for further evaluation of recent positive tests and the completion of close contact tracing.”
Baylor athletic director Mack B. Rhoades said: “At this time and in the interest of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff, we have temporarily suspended all football-related activities. Their health and wellness will always be our top priority. We are taking all possible precautions and our focus remains playing the scheduled game with Oklahoma State at McLane Stadium on October 17.”
Earlier this week, Arizona coach Kevin Sumlin announced a positive COVID-19 test. According to ESPN, Toledo’s Jason Candle, Florida State’s Mike Norvell and Arkansas State’s Blake Anderson all have recovered from the virus.
The Jayhawks are 0-3 under Miles this season after recording a 3-9 mark a year ago. Overall, Miles is 145-67 as a college head coach. He won a national championship at LSU in 2007.
This story was originally published October 8, 2020 at 2:36 PM with the headline "Kansas Jayhawks football coach Les Miles tests positive for COVID-19."
