Head Hog sidelined: Pittman positive for covid-19

Arkansas football coach Sam Pittman (center) and players watch a replay during a game against Tennessee on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE — University of Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman announced Monday morning he had tested positive for covid-19, putting his availability in jeopardy for Saturday’s road game at No. 6 Florida.

Pittman, who said he’s asymptomatic, got the phone call about his positive result at home about 6:30 a.m. He said he quickly drove to campus to get a re-test with the hope the result from his Sunday test was a false negative. Pittman spent the rest of Monday in isolation at his house, where he said he would continue to work on game-planning for the Gators.

If Pittman is unable to coach for the Razorbacks (3-3) at Florida (4-1), associate head coach and defensive coordinator Barry Odom will handle the head coaching duties on an interim basis.

Pittman, 58, would need to have three negative tests in a row on successive days to be allowed to return to work Thursday and travel with the team Friday. If Pittman has another positive test this week, his 10-day quarantine would be retroactive to last weekend and extend into next week, when the Razorbacks host LSU.

“If any of those are positive, then I go back to Saturday, Sunday, and then 10 days ahead of that would be back to work Wednesday or Thursday of LSU week, no matter how I feel,” Pittman said.

Pittman added he was “the only guy on the whole team” to test positive. A release from the UA stated, “All individuals who are considered close contacts have been notified and will enter quarantine guidelines.”

A UA spokesman said the university would not be releasing its quarantine numbers related to Pittman’s positive test.

Pittman said he is feeling great physically, but added, “I’m not feeling great, I’m embarrassed.

“I wish I wouldn’t have gotten the covid. To be honest with you, I haven’t done anything different than what I’ve done [since testing began].”

Pittman said Odom, his longtime friend and daily walking companion, would serve well in the capacity of interim head coach if needed.

“As far as the voice of the team and those things, that’ll be Coach Odom,” Pittman said. “Certainly if I’m not able to go to Florida on Saturday, he’ll act as the head coach and he’ll do a … fine job, I’m sure.”

Florida Coach Dan Mullen opened his weekly news conference by sending well wishes to Pittman. Mullen also dealt with a bout of the virus during the season.

“I hope he has minor symptoms kind of like I had,” Mullen said. “It really wasn’t a tough ordeal. I know a lot of people have had a tough time dealing with it, and then obviously the seriousness of it for a lot of other people and families out there. So, our prayers with him and I hope he recovers quickly.”

Pittman kept his sense of humor during his normal Monday video conference with reporters just minutes after his positive test was announced.

At one point, the sound of a door opening off camera was heard as Pittman said, “We’re doing a home Zoom. My wife just walked in. Don’t walk six feet close to me, though.”

Mullen had high praise for Odom, who led Missouri to a 25-25 record in the previous four years as head coach, including a 2-2 mark against Florida and a 1-1 record against Mullen.

“I know Barry really well,” Mullen said. “Good coach, good motivator. Tough guy. He’s not going to walk in on a stage that is going to feel awkward or different for him.

“I can guarantee — I know Barry as a professional, also — is going to give that message that Sam gives. They’re not going to change the personality they have as a team if Barry’s out there just having to manage the game.”

Odom has not conducted any formal media interviews since fall practices started, but he was asked over the summer about potentially taking the interim title if Pittman ever tested positive.

“I’m fortunate that we have the staff that we do,” Odom said in August. “I think — knock on wood — that’s not going to happen, but if something like that were to happen the staff is so great, I would be able to continue to do the things we need to do on defense and then obviously [offensive coordinator] Kendal [Briles] and I would spend a lot of time going into that game on the management of what that’d look like.

“You have to plan for everything, I understand that. I don’t really know that we change that much. I am fortunate that I’ve got in-game experience of sitting in that chair for the last four years. I think we’d be able to manage, and it wouldn’t happen without the staff we have here in place, for sure.”

Pittman said there was no imminent plan to promote a graduate assistant into an on-field coaching role and probably wouldn’t be until his status for Saturday is determined.

The news on Pittman came on an active day of coronavirus issues around SEC campuses. The Auburn at Mississippi State game was postponed due to increasing virus numbers on the Mississippi State team.

Texas A&M suspended team activities Monday after one player and one student worker tested positive for the virus.

And there were reports that positive cases at LSU were on the rise after a party on Halloween night attended by some players.