The next big question after Nick Saban tested positive for COVID-19

With Nick Saban testing positive for COVID-19 comes a number of subsequent questions.

How? When? Who?

And, perhaps most importantly, who else?

The threat of a full outbreak is always there as programs like Florida, Vanderbilt and LSU can attest. Saban, appearing on the SEC coaches teleconference less than an hour after his diagnosis was announced, said he was not aware of any spread within the Crimson Tide program.

“I’m the only person in the whole organization that tested positive on this round,” he said in his opening statement.

Alabama plays Auburn at 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday.

This was still early in the process that Saban knows from his October experience later determined to have been a false positive. Experiencing mild symptoms this time, Alabama’s team doctor ruled that out immediately.

It’s also unclear how many within the program have dealt with COVID-19 as cases have spoked in recent weeks. Saban last commented on a player’s status when he said they had one positive case Nov. 11. Less than a week later, he said they never talk about players who test positive.

In this scenario, it’s not always who tests positive in the moment but who had close contact with someone who did.

“They will obviously do contact tracing,” Saban said Wednesday morning. “But that’s up to the contact tracer as to whether he sees any issues. So I can’t really say what the decision will be based on that. But based on how we manage things internally in the building, I can’t see any issues with coaches and players. But that’s up to them.”

Saban said he had “no idea” who might have passed the virus on to him because “I’m around nobody,” he said. All the precautions are taken around the Alabama football complex to prevent transmission even if someone were to catch it elsewhere.

“I have no idea how this happened,” Saban said Wednesday. “I really don’t know. We really practice social tracing, social distancing, all the things that we need to do to be safe. We’re always six feet apart in meetings, whether we have staff meetings in large rooms. Everyone is required and we all wear masks. Players all wear masks in meetings.”

Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.

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