COVID recovery: Miles will not coach Jayhawks football team Saturday at West Virginia
Kansas football coach Les Miles will not make the trip to West Virginia on Friday and will not coach the Jayhawks in Saturday’s 11 a.m. game against the Mountaineers.
Miles reported on Oct. 8 that he’d tested positive for COVID-19. Assistant coach Joshua Eargle will fill in as head coach for the game between the 0-3 Jayhawks and 2-1 Mountaineers.
“Yesterday, I received clearance from Kansas Team Health to travel with our football team to Morgantown,” Miles reported Friday in a statement. “I am very grateful for the high level of care that I have received throughout my time since I tested positive for COVID-19 early last week. I continue to feel healthy and strong, and was fortunate to only have mild symptoms.
“However, after much consideration and several in-depth conversations with the medical team, our coaching staff, and Kansas Athletics administration, I have made the difficult decision to not make the trip to West Virginia.
“While my 10-day isolation window was completed this morning, there is too much still unknown about this virus for me to feel 100% confident that I won’t transmit it to someone who comes into close contact with me on the team charter, hotel or at the game Saturday.
“As we continue to work our way through this pandemic, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our players, coaches and staff that make up this great team. As the head coach, it is up to me to set the right example for our student-athletes, and that is what I am doing with this decision by not traveling with the team.”
Miles, KU’s 66-year-old second-year coach said he “met with our players and staff this morning to let them know that I will not be traveling with them to West Virginia and they fully appreciate and support my decision. This was a difficult thing for me to communicate with them, but we have had to make a lot of tough decisions throughout this pandemic and I feel that this is the best decision for the health and safety of our players and staff. As a head coach, I always want to put my players in position to play with confidence and I feel that by making this decision I am doing that.”
He indicated Eargle “will fill in as acting head coach for the game and I know he will represent us well. I have full trust in my coaching staff and know our student-athletes are in great hands. I look forward to rejoining the team in-person on Sunday. Rock Chalk Jayhawk!”
Dr. Larry Magee of Kansas Team Health provided this update on the situation: “Coach Miles is doing well and has been medically cleared to leave isolation. However, because of the short time interval between the end of his isolation and the departure of the football team, and out of concern for the safety of his staff and players, he is not traveling to West Virginia. Coach Miles experienced only minor symptoms over the isolation period and is looking forward to rejoining the team on Sunday.”
This story was originally published October 16, 2020 at 11:29 AM with the headline "COVID recovery: Miles will not coach Jayhawks football team Saturday at West Virginia."
