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Testing protocols force Hogs to adjust

Sam Pittman is in his first season as Arkansas' head coach.
Sam Pittman is in his first season as Arkansas' head coach. (Arkansas Athletics)

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FAYETTEVILLE — The typical concerns facing a head coach with the season just a week away are a lot different in 2020 than ever before.

As the Razorbacks prepare for next Saturday’s opener, Sam Pittman has to sweat out another three COVID-19 tests before learning which players he’ll have available against Georgia.

“The virus is obviously real and you have to adjust,” Pittman said. “We test three times a week, so there have been some adjustments made. You have to be able to play different guys at different positions to make sure by game time you have your best 11 out there at one time.”

Teams across the SEC started game week testing protocols this week, with tests on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. That will continue over the entire 11-week regular season.

The first two tests of each week should yield results by the following day, but the third - taken the day before games - is a rapid test that will have results in 15 minutes.

A positive test knocks a player out 10 days, while those found to have had close contact with a player who tests positive through contact tracing are out for 14 days. Several teams have been impacted by those rules in the first few weeks of the season and Missouri already announced it would be without at least 12 players for its opener against Alabama.

Because of that, the SEC has established minimums to postpone games or declare them a no-contest. Teams must have at least 53 available scholarship players, including seven offensive lineman (with at least one center), four defensive linemen and one quarterback.

“I feel very, very, very confident that we’ll be able to do that,” Pittman said. “We have three more tests, but I feel very confident that our kids will be able to quarantine themselves and stay in this bubble that we’ve been staying in and get to the game.”

Even with budgets tightening because of decreased revenues related to the pandemic, Pittman said the Razorbacks are still planning on staying in a hotel the night before their five home games in addition to the road games.

The hope is that will create a bubble of sorts between Friday’s rapid test and Saturday’s games, but there will be further precautionary adjustments.

“The bottom line is you're probably going to have to give them each their own room,” Pittman said. “You really wouldn't want to give two guys in the same room because, if the test came back, certainly you'd have to quarantine the other one.”

Sources have indicated to HawgBeat that several players missed chunks of preseason camp because of positive tests and contact tracing.

Whether or not those who have been out recently are involved in the game plan against Georgia likely depends on when they return to practice. Pittman said the NCAA requires players who test positive to be back by Wednesday, but those out because of contact tracing have more flexibility.

“For me, certainly I wish the latest (they’re back) would be Tuesday - depending on the individual as far as skill level, maturity, things of that nature, (and) how well does he know the offense, defense, special teams depending on what position he plays,” Pittman said. “Probably Wednesday would be the latest, but I've never seen really great players come back on a Thursday and play up to their potential on a Saturday.”

Kickoff against No. 4 Georgia is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT and the game will be televised on the SEC Network.

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