Ole Miss will open their 2021 season on Monday night against Louisville, but head coach Lane Kiffin will be absent.
Early on Saturday morning, Kiffin revealed that he had tested positive for a breakthrough case of COVID-19 and would not be traveling with his team.
“I am disappointed to confirm I have developed a break-through case of COVID and will not accompany our team to Atlanta,” Kiffin wrote in a statement. “I am grateful to be vaccinated and experiencing mild symptoms. So much so, I debated over being tested, but I’m relieved that I did.
“I’m proud of our program’s commitment to vaccination, and as a result, there are currently no other cases to report or team members expected to miss the game. We will continue to monitor our team closely and take responsible measures if any symptoms arise.
“And this too shall pass.”
Earlier this month, Kiffin boasted that there was a 100% vaccination rate among Ole Miss coaches, players and staff members.
Kiffin is entering his second season as coach at Ole Miss, having posted a 5-5 record a season ago.
Ole Miss said it has not yet decided who will replace Kiffin on Monday night and handle the head-coaching duties.
