Fansided

Oklahoma won’t disclose COVID-19 numbers for competitive advantage reasons

ByPatrick Schmidt|
Lincoln Riley of the Oklahoma Sooners watches warm ups before the game against the Houston Cougars at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 1, 2019 in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners defeated the Cougars 49-31. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
Lincoln Riley of the Oklahoma Sooners watches warm ups before the game against the Houston Cougars at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 1, 2019 in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners defeated the Cougars 49-31. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)

Oklahoma football had been one of the most forthcoming programs when it came to COVID-19 cases, but that’s going to stop for a bad reason.

Oklahoma football head coach Lincoln Riley has been one of the most open and forthcoming college football coaches when it came to dealing with the coronavirus, testing and having a competent plan of action to move forward and complete a football season.

Unfortunately, that is coming to an end.

On Tuesday, Riley told the media at his weekly press conference that Oklahoma will no longer disclose COVID testing data because of “competitive advantage” reasons, according to The Athletic’s Jason Kersey. Oklahoma will now treat positive COVId-19 cases as if it were an offensive lineman dealing with a sprained ankle or linebacker recovering from a concussion.

Oklahoma will not disclose COVID-19 case data as a form of having a competitive advantage

To be fair, Oklahoma is not the only program that has decided against disclosing their COVID-19 case data. While some may be thinking they won’t disclose the date because it’s a HIPPA violation, that assumption is incorrect. Names to not need to be revealed, but a number of positive cases, people in quarantine and the like is all valuable information for the campus, the community and the state as a whole amid a pandemic.

This is not a football issue. This is a public health issue.

And let’s be real for a second, Oklahoma is the best team in the Big 12, a likely playoff team, and do not need a competitive advantage by withholding how many of their players are positive for the coronavirus and will or will not be healthy enough to play a game.

In contrast, Tennessee is among the programs that have been fully forthcoming by revealing the number of players who have tested positive, how many other players have been in contact and are quarantining as a result and how it’s affected the Vols ability to practice.

Now, the only way for Oklahoma football fans to know whether they will have a player playing on a particular Saturday will be on that Saturday when that player is on the field or not on the sideline.

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