Cal football: Coronavirus case has Bears wondering when they can play

BERKELEY —  Cal’s start to the 2020 football season remained in limbo Tuesday because Berkeley public health officials have not cleared the Golden Bears defensive line, coach Justin Wilcox said.

The school is awaiting a decision from city health officials about whether the team can travel to Arizona State for a game on Saturday night. Wilcox said athletic department officials expect to get a directive Wednesday.

“We are operating like we’re going to play,” Wilcox said Tuesday.

But the coach added that he does not know when Cal players in quarantine after contact tracing for COVID-19 will be allowed to return to the field. One defensive lineman tested positive last week for the novel coronavirus, setting off a confusing situation that threatens to spoil the Bears’ season.

Although only one player tested positive, the entire position group was forced into quarantine after contact tracing confirmed the potential exposure to the deadly virus. Without defensive linemen, Cal was forced to ask Pac-12 Conference officials to cancel its scheduled opener against Washington on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The game is earmarked as a no contest.

Wilcox said last week that he expected a directive from Berkeley Public Health Division by Monday at the latest. On Tuesday he said the timeline had been extended.

Berkeley Public Health’s position has been that any player exposed to the virus must be isolated for 14 days to assure he does not contract the disease. City officials did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment.

Wilcox confirmed the players in quarantine are not restricted to defensive linemen, but the team continues to practice with those available.

“They told me there’s a chance we will play,” Wilcox said. “I don’t know why they would make the decisions they’ve made. We’re trying to get clarity on that, but those are not discussions I’m involved in. If they tell us there’s a chance we can play, we’re going to practice. The only way to look at it is to be optimistic. . . Until they tell us otherwise, that’s what we’re doing.”

While Cal’s opener was canceled, Arizona State lost 28-27 at USC on Saturday. The ASU game is the Bears’ lone crossover game against a South Division opponent among the six games already scheduled. Teams will play a seventh conference game against a yet to be determined opponent on Dec. 19, concluding the regular season.

Cal is not the only Pac-12 program affected by COVID-19 cases. Utah had to cancel its game last Saturday against Arizona because it did not have the minimum 53 scholarship players available. The school confirmed Monday that one of its players had to be briefly hospitalized because of coronavirus, and the status of the Utes’ game this week against UCLA is uncertain.

Stanford played at Oregon last weekend despite missing three players, including starting quarterback Davis Mills. The players were in quarantine either because of a positive test or contact tracing.

UCLA was without a defensive player who had tested positive and Washington State had at least one player unavailable because of the virus.

But four Pac-12 games were played last Saturday. Wilcox said it was difficult to watch while wondering why his team faced a different level of scrutiny.

“We all know that there’s a high number of positive tests and a risk for the community and spread within our team,” he said. “Everybody’s on board with that. We respect that. What we’re having a hard time understanding is the process that led us to this point.

“So when you watch the other teams, yeah, you can’t help but be frustrated and a bit angry in trying to figure out why. Honestly, still trying to figure that out.”

Wilcox said the athletic department is seeking more information that would help to prevent the situation happening again.

“We don’t make the decision — honestly, we shouldn’t,” the coach said. “We wait on that information. I don’t decide when it comes out. I shouldn’t.”

But Wilcox wants the process clarified.

“We really just look forward to some clarity not only on the game but also on this contact tracing moving forward so we can be better at it,” he said.