COLUMBIA, S.C. — According to the SEC, member schools are able to begin voluntary workouts on campus beginning Monday, June 8th. And that is exactly what South Carolina has elected to do.
Football student-athletes began their workouts in team facilities on Monday. According to Will Muschamp, only the strength and conditioning coaches are allowed to interact face-to-face with the team. The coaching staff is still restricted to virtual-only meetings.
Muschamp said all student-athletes and personnel members have been tested for COVID-19 and the antibodies. However, the head coach said he will not be disclosing whether any tests came back positive. Muschamp said that is they did find any positives, the team has protocols in place for that person to be quarantined for 14 days. In addition, anyone who lives with that person, or is in the same cluster group will be quarantined for two weeks, as well.
Muschamp described some of the measures the program is taking to ensure everyone's safety. There are four workout groups: 8am, 9:30am, 1pm, and 2:30pm. Between every workout, the facilities will be cleaned and sanitized. No one is allowed to use the showers, so student-athletes will bring two pairs of clothes to change into throughout the day.
As far as any limitations for the student-athletes when they leave the facility, Muschamp said all he has done is tell the players to "be smart". The head coach said, "teams that are going to win this Fall are going to be the mature teams".
Muschamp expressed his optimism about playing a full schedule this season. He said he is preparing the team as if the season will proceed as scheduled. Muschamp says he is confident that South Carolina will be facing Coastal Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday, September 5th to open the 2020 season.
