Clemson's explanation of why no one was caught by contact tracing
Have any of Lawrence's teammates been affected?This appears to be the good news for Clemson -- at least so far. Coach Dabo Swinney said no players are in quarantine based on contact-tracing protocols due to Lawrence's infection, which, right now, would include any teammates who came into contact with him during Clemson's most recent game (against Syracuse this past Saturday).
Clemson tests players on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Lawrence tested negative on Sunday. Based on ACC guidelines, that essentially eliminates the need to contact-trace the game. (Clemson follows Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for contact tracing, which mandates a quarantine period of 14 days for any player who was within 6 feet of an infected person for more than 15 minutes without a mask.)
While Lawrence did practice with the team this week before testing positive and could have potentially exposed other players, Clemson's practice regimen limits direct contact, particularly at the quarterback position, so Lawrence did not exceed those limits and it's highly unlikely anyone would have spent more than 15 combined maskless minutes within 6 feet of him. Lawrence, who routinely wears a mask off the field, does not live with any teammates, so no players were flagged for contact away from practice, either.
Clemson will have another round of testing Friday, so it's certainly possible more players could test positive, as it is unknown exactly how Lawrence contracted the virus. Regardless, several key players are expected to miss Saturday's game due to injuries, including defensive tackle
Tyler Davis and linebacker
James Skalski.