In addition to Buckeyes, Gophers preparing for season-long battle against virus

When the Big Ten announced Monday that teams in all sports must forfeit a conference game this year if they can't play because of COVID-19, Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck said the decision was made by "people way above me."

"I think most conferences are going to go that direction," Fleck said after Monday's practice. "Maybe the conferences feel there has been enough time to be able to get vaccinations and do those types of things."

Last season, the Gophers had to cancel games against Wisconsin and Northwestern with high numbers of players in the COVID protocol. Those games, and scores of others canceled nationally, were called a "no contest" instead of a forfeit.

Fleck's Gophers open Sept. 2 against Ohio State at home, but he is trying to prepare his team for a huge battle on the field against the No. 4 Buckeyes, and also the battle off the field against the coronavirus.

"It's somewhat in your control and somewhat out of your control," Fleck said. "We do everything we can to control that with … doctors and people like that, educating our players and staff with the facts. … And then people have to make the decisions and live with the decisions they make."

During a three-week span last season, 49 Gophers football players and staff combined tested positive for the virus. Fleck's team was still able to regroup and win at Nebraska on Dec. 12 despite missing 33 players.

Hoping to avoid as many setbacks as last year during the pandemic, the Gophers have been encouraging players to get a COVID vaccine. Fleck hasn't given a specific percentage but said, "We were at significant [number of players vaccinated on July 23], and now we're significantly higher."

The SEC, Pac-12, Big 12, and ACC have implemented similar policies on forfeited games or are close to doing so. The only current exception appears to be the ACC's decision for both teams to forfeit if the virus sidelined them on the scheduled participation date.

The NCAA's recommendations regarding COVID-19 released in early August stated that unvaccinated athletes should wear masks, be tested weekly and be quarantined after exposure. Athletes who have been vaccinated aren't tested as frequently.

The Gophers test unvaccinated athletes three times per week, according to a team spokesman.

In earlier conversations with his team about vaccines this summer, Fleck and his medical staff understood that players had a right to choose either way.

But two weeks ago, University President Joan Gabel announced that all of the roughly 60,000 students attending the U's five campuses must be vaccinated against COVID-19, starting once the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the shots.

"Within the next few days, all students systemwide will receive an email with instructions on how to confirm your vaccination status," Gabel e-mailed students, faculty and staff Monday.

Fleck gave Gabel credit for making "difficult decisions" about how the university handles COVID-19 while returning to campus.

"There will be people who agree and people who disagree with those decisions," he said. "But that's why you're in that role to make that decision, somebody has to make that call."