Arizona State head coach Herm Edwards and multiple Sun Devils coaches and players tested positive for COVID-19, prompting the cancellation of Saturday night’s game against Cal.
“First, I want to say that Lia, the girls and I are fine and I will be back quicker than you can say ‘Forks Up!’” Edward said in a statement released by the school. “Second, even with the marvelous care our medical professionals have provided for myself, my staff and my team over the past few months, the virus still found me. So, I encourage all of you to take this virus seriously, to wear a mask, practice physical distancing and get tested whenever possible.” The Cal-Arizona State contest is the 13th game on this week’s college football schedule to either be canceled or postponed.
“In the past few days our test results included a number of positive cases, including multiple student-athletes and coaching staff members, one of which is head coach Herm Edwards,” read a statement from ASU vice president for athletics Ray Anderson. “This put our team below the Pac-12’s minimum threshold of 53 available scholarship student-athletes under the league’s game cancellation policy.”
It is the second straight cancellation for the Golden Bears, whose Nov. 7 season opener against Washington was scrapped after a positive test and subsequent quarantines and contact tracing left Cal without enough players.
Edwards’ Sun Devils kicked off the Pac-12 season with a 28-27 loss at Southern California last Saturday.
Edwards, 66, is in his third season in Tempe and has a 15-12 record. He was the head coach of the NFL’s New York Jets (2001-05) and Kansas City Chiefs (2006-08), compiling a 54-74 record. –Field Level Media ()