Every 
morning, 
the 
Michigan 
Every 
morning, 
the 
Michigan 

football team comes in to get tested 
football team comes in to get tested 
for COVID-19. They get a nasal swab 
for COVID-19. They get a nasal swab 
and then wait 15 nerve-wracking 
and then wait 15 nerve-wracking 
minutes for the results.
minutes for the results.

With the season on the horizon, 
With the season on the horizon, 

players must test every day, with 
players must test every day, with 
negative tests required to practice, 
negative tests required to practice, 
travel or play. But according to fifth-
travel or play. But according to fifth-
year senior linebacker Josh Ross, the 
year senior linebacker Josh Ross, the 

tests have become second nature 
tests have become second nature 
— just another part 
— just another part 
of 
the 
of 
the 

team’s 
team’s 

daily routine.
daily routine.

Seven weeks after 
Seven weeks after 

what 
was 
supposed 
what 
was 
supposed 

to be their opener, 
to be their opener, 

the 
Wolverines 
the 
Wolverines 

will finally take 
will finally take 

the 
field 
in 
the 
field 
in 

Minneapolis 
Minneapolis 

on Saturday. 
on Saturday. 
But there’s 
But there’s 
still a lot of 
still a lot of 

uncertainty. The Big Ten’s schedule 
uncertainty. The Big Ten’s schedule 
includes nine games in nine weeks, 
includes nine games in nine weeks, 
concluding with a championship 
concluding with a championship 
weekend in which all 14 teams play. 
weekend in which all 14 teams play. 
But so far this season, 10.6% of 
But so far this season, 10.6% of 
scheduled games been postponed 
scheduled games been postponed 
or canceled due to the virus, calling 
or canceled due to the virus, calling 
into doubt whether the Big Ten will 
into doubt whether the Big Ten will 
complete its season. 
complete its season. 

Those doubts have only intensified 
Those doubts have only intensified 

with Purdue coach Jeff Brohm testing 
with Purdue coach Jeff Brohm testing 
positive Sunday, taking him out of 
positive Sunday, taking him out of 
the Boilermakers’ opener. Minnesota 
the Boilermakers’ opener. Minnesota 
coach 
P.J. 
Fleck 
told 
reporters 
coach 
P.J. 
Fleck 
told 
reporters 

Monday that he knew how many 
Monday that he knew how many 
players were out this week but would 
players were out this week but would 
not share an exact number, implying 
not share an exact number, implying 
that there were multiple players who 
that there were multiple players who 

would miss the game due to testing 
would miss the game due to testing 

positive.
positive.

Big Ten protocols state that 
Big Ten protocols state that 

players who test positive will be 
players who test positive will be 

out of competition for 21 days. 
out of competition for 21 days. 
Coaches who test positive can 
Coaches who test positive can 

return after 10 days as long as 
return after 10 days as long as 

they have been symptom-free for 
they have been symptom-free for 

24 hours. Additionally, teams may 
24 hours. Additionally, teams may 
not practice or play if 7.5% of team 
not practice or play if 7.5% of team 
personnel test positive within a 
personnel test positive within a 
seven-day period.
seven-day period.

For its part, Michigan is good 
For its part, Michigan is good 

to go for Saturday. According to 
to go for Saturday. According to 
Jim Harbaugh, the team does “not 
Jim Harbaugh, the team does “not 
currently” have any players out 
currently” have any players out 
against the Golden Gophers. 
against the Golden Gophers. 

At a protest against the season’s 
At a protest against the season’s 

postponement on Sept. 5, Harbaugh 
postponement on Sept. 5, Harbaugh 
touted that the team had zero 
touted that the team had zero 
positives since the end of July. That 
positives since the end of July. That 
streak is no longer — Harbaugh said 
streak is no longer — Harbaugh said 
Monday that there had been positive 
Monday that there had been positive 
tests since then, though he did not say 
tests since then, though he did not say 
how many or when the positive tests 
how many or when the positive tests 
happened. With no one unable to play 
happened. With no one unable to play 
against Minnesota, those positive 
against Minnesota, those positive 
tests were presumably before Oct. 3.
tests were presumably before Oct. 3.

It’s unclear how severe the Golden 
It’s unclear how severe the Golden 

Gophers’ outbreak is, other than that 
Gophers’ outbreak is, other than that 
it must not include more than 7.5% of 
it must not include more than 7.5% of 
the team. When asked in September 
the team. When asked in September 
how he would feel playing a team that 
how he would feel playing a team that 
had an outbreak, Harbaugh didn’t 
had an outbreak, Harbaugh didn’t 
give a direct answer.
give a direct answer.

“I don’t know what’s going on in 
“I don’t know what’s going on in 

the rest of the world,” he said then. “I 
the rest of the world,” he said then. “I 
know what we’re doing.”
know what we’re doing.”

Harbaugh 
has 
consistently 
Harbaugh 
has 
consistently 

expressed confidence in Michigan’s 
expressed confidence in Michigan’s 
protocols, and they do seem to be 
protocols, and they do seem to be 
working. 
While 
other 
teams 
— 
working. 
While 
other 
teams 
— 

including Michigan State, Rutgers, 
including Michigan State, Rutgers, 
Maryland, Iowa and Wisconsin — had 
Maryland, Iowa and Wisconsin — had 
to shut down practice due to large 
to shut down practice due to large 
outbreaks, the Wolverines have been 
outbreaks, the Wolverines have been 
able to hold every scheduled practice 
able to hold every scheduled practice 
since returning to campus in June. 
since returning to campus in June. 
The 21-day sit-out requirement has 
The 21-day sit-out requirement has 
also served as a strong deterrent 
also served as a strong deterrent 
against players breaking protocol.
against players breaking protocol.

“Not doing nothing at all,” Ross 
“Not doing nothing at all,” Ross 

said Monday. “Chilling. Staying home, 
said Monday. “Chilling. Staying home, 
coming to (Schembechler Hall), doing 
coming to (Schembechler Hall), doing 
schoolwork and staying out of the 
schoolwork and staying out of the 
way. That’s all I can do.”
way. That’s all I can do.”

Still, the presence of the virus looms 
Still, the presence of the virus looms 

large. Harbaugh refused to name 
large. Harbaugh refused to name 
a definitive starter at quarterback 
a definitive starter at quarterback 
Monday, maintaining that he couldn’t 
Monday, maintaining that he couldn’t 
guarantee any player would be cleared 
guarantee any player would be cleared 
to play — he did say that junior Joe 
to play — he did say that junior Joe 
Milton was “running with the ones.”
Milton was “running with the ones.”

And when defensive line coach 
And when defensive line coach 

Shaun Nua was asked about the Golden 
Shaun Nua was asked about the Golden 
Gophers matchup last Wednesday, 
Gophers matchup last Wednesday, 
he complimented the team’s potent 
he complimented the team’s potent 
offense but also acknowledged what’s 
offense but also acknowledged what’s 
on everyone’s mind as the season 
on everyone’s mind as the season 
begins.
begins.

“I’m not nervous about the game,” 
“I’m not nervous about the game,” 

Nua said. “I’m nervous about the 
Nua said. “I’m nervous about the 
COVID thing. I wanna make sure that 
COVID thing. I wanna make sure that 
thing is not getting to us.”
thing is not getting to us.”

As University locks down, 

Michigan readies for opener

ARIA GERSON
Daily Sports Writer

FILE PHOTO/DAILY

Wednesday, October 21, 2020
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

 CONGRATULATIONS

 

The class of ‘31E and it’s Scholarship Selection Committee congratulates and welcomes
their FOUR new scholarship winners for the 2020-2021 academic year.

CHIMMUANYA IHEANYI-IGWE 
MORGAN SERRA

TAYLOR SCOTT 
CLAUDIA ZIMMERMAN

They will be joining the ‘31E HONOR SOCIETY and our SEVENTEEN current 
scholars:

GEORGE ADAMSON 
BENJAMIN MAHLE

TYLER BARLETT 
ADITYA MIDDHA

ROBERT ELLIOT 
GABRIELLA RODRIGUEZ

ALFONSOBOTTA-LOPEZ
 
JOEY COSTELLO

LINDSEY FURNESS 
ERIN DEUTSCHMAN

MICHELLE CEHNER 
JOSEPH TAYLOR 

JESSICA HOUGHTON 
ALLISON WILCOX

CONNOR INGLIS 
LAURA WILLIAMS

JACOB MAKEY

All of these scholarship winners would normally be honored at our annual Scholarship
Banquet but this years event will be conducted online as a Zoom meeting on the evening
of October 23rd at 6 PM, stay safe.

Since the establishment of the ‘31E Scholarship Program in 1982, more than 200 aspiring 
engineering students have been helped to experience a University of Michigan education 
and have gone on to rewarding careers.

George E. Anderson - Director of Media Relations - Class of 1931 Engineering

TO OUR 31E SCHOLARS ON THE

38th ANNIVERSARY

OF OUR CLASS of 1931

 ENGINEERING SCHOLARSHIP

PROGRAM

BIGGEST

TEST YET

