UM Football Coach Manny Diaz Announces Positive COVID Test

Miami Hurricanes football coach Manny Diaz has become the latest sports figure in South Florida to announce a positive test for COVID.

Diaz made the announcement on social media Friday, adding he is currently in isolation.

I have tested positive for COVID-19. I am currently in isolation and feeling good overall. I will continue to work with our team virtually as we prepare for our next game at Wake Forest.
— Manny Diaz (@Coach_MannyDiaz) November 20, 2020

The No. 12 ranked Hurricanes had their next two games moved after an outbreak on the team nearly caused their November 14th win over Virginia Tech to be canceled.

Miami (7-1) is scheduled to the field for the next time on December 5th at Wake Forest before home games against North Carolina and Georgia Tech.

Diaz becomes the latest major-college football coach to have a positive COVID-19 test released, a list that includes Florida’s Dan Mullen, Florida State’s Mike Norvell, Purdue’s Jeff Brohm, Arizona’s Kevin Sumlin and Kansas’ Les Miles. Alabama coach Nick Saban also tested positive, but did not miss a game after that result was later deemed false.

Earlier this week, Diaz said he believes the coronavirus numbers nationally “are really, really getting to a bad place.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said more than 1 million coronavirus cases have been diagnosed in the U.S. in the past week alone, numbers that — when combined with soaring hospitalization rates — prompted the CDC to urge Americans to curtail Thanksgiving travel and not partake in large gatherings with people from outside their household.