Published Nov 9, 2020
Pause: Aggies halt Monday practice due to COVID cases
Mark Passwaters  •  AggieYell
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Texas A&M football has done a remarkable job of avoiding COVID-19 for the past few months. That changed Monday, with the announcement of several positive cases in the program.

Safety Demani Richardson, who did not travel to Columbia for No. 5 A&M's 48-3 throttling of South Carolina, was the team's first confirmed COVID case during the season. Fisher started his Monday press conference by announcing one other player and a student on the team's support staff had tested positive after returning from the road trip.

"We have paused our practice activities for the day. We will not practice, we will meet on zoom with our players to watch the film, and do the things we have to do," Fisher said. "We had a couple positive cases of COVID after we got back ... we're re-testing the whole team, again today, then of course extending the protocols."

Fisher said Monday's practice would have been light, considering the team's return from Columbia in the early hours of Sunday morning, so the loss of a day of practice would not be as severe as it could have been. If the re-tests come back with no further positives, then the Aggies could return to the practice field as soon as tomorrow.

"Right now, everything's full go (for Saturday's game at Tennessee)," Fisher said. "We'll make a plan on things and see how the quarantine tracing and all the other tests that come back (are)."

According to SEC protocols, a player must sit out for 10 days after a positive COVID-19 test. In Richardson's case, that would mean he will also miss this weekend's game with Tennessee. The unnamed player, who tested positive Sunday or Monday, could return for the Nov. 21 game against Ole Miss.

One way or the other, the Aggies are certain to be without starting defensive end Micheal Clemons. Clemons, who leads the team in sacks with 4, did not play Saturday night and had surgery Monday morning after suffering an ankle sprain. His return date is up in the air, but it may be possible for him to return to the lineup for A&M's Dec. 5 season finale at Auburn. In the meantime, redshirt junior Tyree Johnson will start in Clemons' place.