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Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz tests positive for COVID-19
The Gazette
Dec. 18, 2020 10:36 am, Updated: Dec. 18, 2020 1:54 pm
IOWA CITY - University of Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz has tested positive for COVID-19, the school announced Friday morning.
Ferentz tested positive during his regularly scheduled rapid antigen test Thursday morning, followed by a PCR test to confirm the diagnosis.
Iowa said he is asymptomatic and will remain home until Dec. 27. Ferentz was coughing during a news conference Wednesday and, according to KXNO, a Thursday interview with the Des Moines radio station was cut short because of his coughing.
Iowa football players, coaches and staff members are tested daily as part of the Big Ten Conference return to play protocols.
Iowa's scheduled game against Michigan was canceled earlier this week due to the high number of positive tests within the Michigan football program. Because of the cancellation, Iowa players were given the week off to focus on finals and enjoy the holiday.
'We have been fortunate this season to have played eight games and to have very few positive cases,' Ferentz said in a news release. 'When the team returns to practice on Tuesday, I will participate via Zoom and our collective focus will be on preparing for the bowl game.”
The Hawkeyes team will learn their bowl invitation Sunday afternoon.