Mizzou football, basketball players arrive back on campus for voluntary workouts

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Members of the Mizzou football and men's and women's basketball teams' are allowed to workout on campus for the first time in three months.

MU allowed voluntary workouts to begin for those three teams starting Monday. Before arriving back on campus, every student-athlete was tested for COVID-19. Deputy Athletics Director Nick Joos said the university is not releasing the outcomes of those tests at this time, but it will report all of the positive tests to the Boone County Health Department.

Mizzou football coach Eli Drinkwitz said only 20 players are allowed to workout at the same time. They all must stay at least six feet apart while working out.

Joos said the men's and women's basketball teams are back on campus, but the players did not work out on Monday. He said they will likely work out in groups of two or four moving forward.

Joos said all of the student-athletes back on campus have been put into pods. Those pods will stay the same throughout the voluntary workouts.

Joos added the equipment is being cleaned much more thoroughly than had been done before COVID-19.

"Foggers are also being used in all areas, and in football's case, student-athletes are spread out between the team locker room in the south end zone and the visiting team locker room," Joos said. "Student-athletes have multiple sets of gear and our staff is washing daily (rather than have the student-athletes wear it home)."

Joos also noted all of the furniture has been removed from team areas, so players don't congregate before or after workouts.

During this time - student-athletes can only workout with their strength and conditioning coaches.

Joos said there is no timetable on when official practices will begin. With that said, Sports Illustrated reported the NCAA College Football Oversight Committee is getting close to approving a preseason plan that has full team workouts starting as soon as early July. If approved, college football would be on its way toward starting the season on-time.