Just Like Any Opponent, COVID-19 a Threat to Alabama's Season According to Nick Saban

The novel coronavirus can prove to be a threat to the Crimson Tide's season if players and coaches don't stay vigilant regarding safety guidelines

The University of Alabama football team is headed into its second bye week of the season after LSU had to postpone the previously scheduled meeting between the Crimson Tide and Tigers due to COVID-19 issues.  

Alabama coach Nick Saban made a brief appearance on his weekly radio show, 'Hey Coach', to discuss how the Crimson Tide program is handling this week and what's next.

"We told out players at the beginning of the season that whoever handles the uncertainties the best is the team that is going to have the best opportunities at being successful and create positive advantages for themselves in the future," Saban said. "Our guys were looking forward to playing this week and they are disappointed. I hate it for the standout of the players because this just drags out the season. You just gotta be positive about it."

Saban noted that overcoming the SEC's contact tracing protocol, which states that a player must be quarantined for 14 days after being exposed to the coronavirus, has been one of the toughest hurdles in the season.

"Look, the social tracing part of it is the reason these games are being canceled," Saban said. "It’s not the number of players that are testing positive. Alright?

"We’ve been around and around on this, even to the point where the people in the federal government, Dr. [Anthony] Fauci and the people who work for him, told us that if you’re gonna get this, you’re gonna get it in seven days. Ok? That’s the science. Alright? So you’re probably going to get it within five days, but seven days max.

"So we can test guys out of this in five, six and seven [days] and let them come back in eight days and we’re having them quarantine for 14 days. So you really have to quarantine if you don’t have it, just because you’re around somebody for longer than if you get it. You’re out for longer, and you may not even get sick.

"We should use the science to make sure we keep people safe, but when we have science that verifies what safe is, then we should use that.”

Instead of a game on Saturday, Alabama will have a practice of sorts and preparations for Kentucky will begin on Friday, but Saban made it abundantly clear that, the team needs to stay vigilant about following COVID-19 guidelines because the virus is a threat to the season just like any other opponent. 

"The thing I tried to emphasize with our players today is that teams are having issues because they are getting complacent and relaxing about social distancing and taking care of their personal bubble," Saban said. "The thing that could upset our season, as much as any opponent that we play, is if we don't pay attention to detail and we relax about what we have to do to stay safe."

"Our guys have been good about that but we want to keep it that way moving forward."