Skip to main content
Partly Cloudy icon
62º

Texas State football player opts out of season due to COVID-19 pandemic

Player becomes first member of football team to opt out of 2020 season

(Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

SAN MARCOS, TexasNeed to stay updated on coronavirus news in Texas? Our evening roundup will help you stay on top of the day’s latest updates. Sign up here.

A Texas State football player has decided to sit out the 2020 season due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recommended Videos



Bobcats head coach Jake Spavital made the announcement Thursday at practice.

Due to privacy laws, Spavital or university officials did not identify the player.

The student-athlete was the first player in the program to opt out this season.

RELATED: Texas college football is limiting stadium capacity, mandating masks and testing athletes. Here’s what you need to know

Several college student-athletes across the country have opted out of the football season due to health and safety concerns amid the pandemic.

The NCAA announced Wednesday that if a college athlete chooses to opt out, that individual’s athletics scholarship commitment must be honored by the college or university.

Spavital told reporters that no one had tested positive for COVID-19 since practice started this week.

Prior to the start of practice this week, the program held voluntary player workouts over the summer with new safety and health protocols in place.

The university said it was conducting daily symptomatic testing for football players with temperature checks and symptom screenings.

Texas State announced on Monday that its season-opening game against SMU in San Marcos had been moved to Aug. 29.

Capacity for the home opener will be no more than 25 percent at Bobcat Stadium, university officials said.

The capacity for future home games is subject to change.


About the Author
RJ Marquez headshot

RJ Marquez is the traffic anchor/reporter for KSAT’s Good Morning San Antonio. He also fills in as a news anchor and has covered stories from breaking news and Fiesta to Spurs championships and high school sports. RJ started at KSAT in 2010. He is proud to serve our viewers and be a part of the culture and community that makes San Antonio great.

Loading...

Recommended Videos