News of college football’s top coach testing positive for COVID-19 shook the sport on Wednesday. One day later, University of Alabama Athletics Department officials provided an update on his health.
“Coach Saban was evaluated by our team physician Dr. Jimmy Robinson today,” said Jeff Allen, associate athletics director for Sports Medicine, in a statement. “Coach remains asymptomatic at this point and is doing fine. He is continuing to self-isolate and will remain in the SEC testing protocol while being evaluated daily.”
Saban confirmed on Wednesday that he will continue to drive game week preparation remotely.
“I can do absolutely everything here that I do,” he stated. “I will have the same exact routine.”
He cited his participation in Wednesday’s practice, via phone and video, which occasionally involved him directing that the team repeat plays in the absence of execution.
Offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian will assume on-field head coaching duties while not delegating play calling to anyone else, according to Saban.
“He’s done a really good job of that,” Saban said of Sarkisian. “We’re not going to make those kind of changes. We have a very capable staff and those guys make good game day decisions. I just kind of monitor what they do and make sure we’re staying on the rails. I think we can get that done even if I am not available, which is not for certain I hope, but it is what it is.”
Over seven seasons as a head coach at Washington and then USC, Sarkisian compiled a 46-35 record.
Sarkisian currently guides an offense which leads the nation in scoring and stands third in total production.
The Crimson Tide are presently listed as a 4.5-point favorite over the visiting Georgia Bulldogs in Saturday’s SEC showdown.
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