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Texas Tech football: Matt Wells tests positive for COVID-19

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TEXAS - OCTOBER 24: Head coach Matt Wells of the Texas Tech Red Raiders walks onto the field before the college football game against the West Virginia Mountaineers on October 24, 2020 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TEXAS - OCTOBER 24: Head coach Matt Wells of the Texas Tech Red Raiders walks onto the field before the college football game against the West Virginia Mountaineers on October 24, 2020 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /
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Thursday, it was announced by the Texas Tech football program that head coach Matt Wells has tested positive for COVID-19.

Matt Wells has likely coached his last game of the 2020 season.  That’s because Thursday, the Texas Tech football head coach was announced to have tested positive for COVID-19 according to a release from the program.

"The release reads in part: “Texas Tech received notification earlier this morning that Coach Wells tested positive for COVID-19.  At the time, Coach Wells has returned home to self-isolate…”"

It also revealed that defensive coordinator Keith Patterson will serve as the interim head coach in Wells’ absence should he miss Saturday’s season finale against Kansas, which seems entirely likely.

In 2011, Patterson served as interim head coach for the Pittsburgh Panthers in the BBVA Compass Bowl, which his team lost to SMU 28-6.  Now, he will likely get his opportunity to even his interim head coaching record.

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This news likely makes Wells just the latest in a number of NCAA head coaches to miss a game due to a positive COVID-19 test.  Others include Nick Saban of Alabama, Mike Norvell of Florida State, and Ryan Day of Ohio State.

Coaches who have tested positive still have the ability to interact with their team virtually up until the point that the game for that week begins.  What’s more, the fact that this news came so late in the week means that most of the team’s game-planning and preparation has already been installed.

It is still possible that Wells could coach this weekend.  He will be tested again to confirm his positive test.  If this test proves to be a false positive, it would mean that Wells would be able to return to his normal role with the team.  We saw that scenario take place earlier this year with Saban at Alabama.

Assuming that this COVID-19 positive is confirmed, it would have to be a disappointment for Wells given that this is Texas Tech’s senior day when 17 Red Raiders will be honored.  What’s more, it’s one that his team is favored to win by multiple touchdowns making it a game that he was certainly looking forward to after a tough season. But now, Wells may be forced to sit this game out and consume it from his couch the way most Red Raiders have had to take in college football this season.

Texas Tech and Kansas will kick off Saturday at 11 am in Lubbock.  The game will be broadcast on FOX Sport 2 and Double T 97.3 FM in Lubbock.

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