Stanford QB Davis Mills, Two Others Out of Season Opener Due to COVID-19 Protocols

Davis Mills made six starts in 2019 with 1,960 yards and 11 touchdowns. Wideout Connor Wedington and defensive end Trey LaBounty are also unavailable.

Less than two hours before the team's season opening game against Oregon, Stanford announced that three players—quarterback Davis Mills, wide receiver Connor Wedington and defensive end Trey LaBounty—would miss the game due to "COVID-19 test results and contact tracing protocols."

pic.twitter.com/Qfxu3eEIHA

— Stanford Football (@StanfordFball) November 7, 2020

The school did not specify in its statement whether the players have all tested positive, or if they've been in contact with someone who has. Wedington announced via Twitter that he had tested negative for the virus.

I got contact traced, I tested negative for COVID. https://t.co/B1uxLkcVXo

— Connor Wedington (@ConnorWedington) November 7, 2020

The Pac-12 had two of its opening weekend games canceled prior to Saturday: Cal-Washington and Arizona-Utah. The game between Cal and Washington was canceled due to a Cal player testing positive, while Utah had multiple players test positive. 

The conference requires a minimum of 53 scholarship players available for a game to be played, with each position group having its own minimum requirement. Players do not need to have tested positive to be ruled unavailable for a game and can be held out due to contact tracing protocols.

Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Mills played in eight games with six starts for Stanford last season, completing 65.6% of his passes for 1,960 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. He set the school's single-game passing record with 504 yards in a loss to Washington State in 2019, and was named to the Maxwell Award and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm watch list prior to this season.

Wedington was second on the team with 51 receptions in 2019, with 506 yards and one touchdown. LaBounty is a junior who played in one game in 2018 and did not see any action during the 2019 season.