Joe Kinsey
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The University of Michigan athletic department’s weekly COVID numbers are in and the school reported nine athletes and four staff had positive test results. Keep in mind these test results are across the entire athletic department and not just football.
“Please note that the overall number of tests and positive results will not necessarily equal the sum of this week’s update plus the figures given in prior weeks’ updates,” Michigan’s athletic department said in its release. “This is due to the number and timing of surveillance tests being conducted, and reflective of the fact that some test results lag behind others.”
In its December 4 COVID update, Michigan had 14 athletes and one staff member test positive for COVID out of 2,562 tests administered.
The Detroit News reported this week that a “source indicated more than 40 scholarship [football] players are out this week because of COVID-positive results, contact tracing and injuries” which led to the cancelation of the Ohio State game.
Jim Harbaugh said Tuesday that his team wanted to play, but the numbers just don’t make it possible. “We are very disappointed. We were all very much — we wanted to play. And we were all very much, the odds are against us but let’s go do this. And as I said before, to a man, our players wanted to have that opportunity,” he said during a virtual press conference.
Michigan added this note at the bottom of their COVID-19 update…these numbers might not totally reflect the amount of positive results. pic.twitter.com/WmNuW3are9
— Jordan Strack (@JordanStrack) December 11, 2020
