Toledo Coach Jason Candle Becomes First Known FBS Head Coach to Test Positive for COVID-19

Toledo football head coach Jason Candle announced he has the coronavirus, marking the first known positive case among FBS head coaches.

Toledo football coach Jason Candle announced on Wednesday that he recently tested positive for COVID-19, marking the first known case of a coronavirus infection among FBS head coaches. 

In his statement, Candle said that he has not yet experienced symptoms. According to the school, the 40-year-old coach was exposed to the virus by an unidentified individual outside of the athletic department who also tested positive.

"I appreciate all the doctors and medical workers who are on the front lines battling the virus," Candle wrote. "I look forward to returning to the team after meeting safety guidelines. Go Rockets!”

Candle will self-isolate at home for 10 days before his condition is evaluated by the university.

“The University of Toledo will work with the Lancaster County Health Department to determine if any further steps are required,” the school stated in its release. “Candle will return to work after meeting the isolation guidelines.”

Candle, who is entering his fifth season as Toledo head coach, is coming off 6-6 season in 2019—the worst record for the team since it went 5-7 in 2009. The coach previously served as an assistant at the university starting in 2008 and played wide receiver at Mount Union and Geneva.

The news of Candle's positive diagnosis comes as some conferences and universities have announced plans to remove non-conference matchups or push the start of college football seasons to the spring. 

Earlier this month, Toledo suffered the loss of a teammate when 22-year-old defensive lineman Jahneil Douglas was shot and killed. The team is currently scheduled to play its first game of the 2020-21 season on Sept. 5 against Tulsa.