Fourth-ranked Ohio State is a go for its game Saturday at Illinois, but the Buckeyes will be absent a particularly key figure after a COVID-19 scare this week in the Buckeyes' program.
Second-year OSU head coach Ryan Day is out for the contest after testing positive for COVID-19, the university announced Friday in a release.
“I have spoken with Coach Day, and he is doing well physically,” Director of Athletics Gene Smith said in a school statement. “I feel terrible for Coach and for the members of the program who have been diagnosed with a positive test. Coach Day and this team have been true leaders in handling things so well throughout this pandemic. Our team wants to play this game, and we’re going to do everything we can to help make this happen. All of the decisions on the welfare of our student-athletes and staff members will continue to be guided by our medical staff.”
Larry Johnson is the OSU interim coach while Day is out with COVID-19. The Buckeyes now will not travel to play Illinois until Saturday morning prior to the game, per Austin Ward of LettermenRow.com.
The Buckeyes, who already had a game against Maryland cancelled and cannot lose more than one more contest and still appear in the Big Ten Championship game, face Lovie Smith's Illinois squad Saturday at noon on FS1.
OSU had modified its midweek practices and also retested some team members after concerns of false-positive coronavirus test results.
Day becomes the second coach this week of a top-5 team to test positive and miss a conference clash. On Wednesday, Alabama revealed that Nick Saban had displayed mild symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19 – this time without doubt after Saban earlier this season had recorded a false-positive test and quarantined from home. Saban is missing the annual 'Iron Bowl' rivalry tilt between Auburn and Alabama Saturday.