AUSTIN, Texas – Texas coach Shaka Smart said on Monday – while he and the 6th. Longhorns were preparing for a confrontation with No. 2 Baylor – that he had “significant” symptoms while isolated from his team and family after the positive test for COVID-19.
“This was not a walk in the park for me, I’m not saying it was for anyone else,” said Smart before Tuesday night’s clash between the top two teams from Big 12. “When you go through that kind of thing, it certainly revolves some things around your mind. “
Smart returned to the team on Sunday and sits on the bench against Baylor. He did not detail the extent of the symptoms he felt, but he seemed frustrated that Texas played the home defeat last week to No. 9 Oklahoma Sooners, when the Longhorns lost their head coach, two starters and an important reserve because of COVID- 19 protocols.
Smart said his team did several positive tests a week earlier and noted that other programs closed for several days for less. Smart said that shortly before his test was positive, he had a training session with only two players.
“If you talk to most of our guys, they want to play. That doesn’t mean that there were times when some of them, they were like, ‘Wow, this is really, really weird,’ and thinking about what we should be doing” said Smart.
“Everyone has their own rules about how to deal with this kind of thing,” said Smart. “I didn’t say we didn’t want to play. I wasn’t there. I think you can say it was a very, very difficult day for me.”
After the loss to Oklahoma, the next Texas game in Kentucky was canceled because of a positive COVID-19 test within the Wildcats program.
Even with its coach and so many outside players, Texas never paused its program. Texas had eight players with scholarships available for the Oklahoma game, which surpassed the minimum of six on the Big 12.
“We knew it would be difficult to wander,” said Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte. “But we reached the limit and we continue to play.”
The clash with Baylor will be the first of the season between the Bears (16-0, 8-0) and the Longhorns (11-3, 5-2), after the first game scheduled in December was postponed because of COVID – 19 editions in Baylor. That game has not yet been rescheduled.
Baylor coach Scott Drew had a positive test shortly before Thanksgiving.
Texas has not allowed fans at the Erwin Center for about a month, but will allow a limited number of Tuesday nights as infection and hospitalization rates in the Austin area have increased.
Smart said the Longhorns should be at full strength. Baylor guard Davion Mitchell predicted that Texas will have to adjust after having so many players, and Smart forced to stay out
“I think it will be a little difficult for them, just because some people are coming back from COVID,” said Mitchell. “They need to recover the team’s chemistry. But it will be a good game.”