After losing a pair of home games to No 6 Illinois and No. 8 Michigan State, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewsi made some comments about the current COVID-19 situation.

“People are saying the next six weeks are going to be the worst,” Krzyzewski was quoted as saying by ESPN. “To me, it’s already pretty bad. On the other side of it, there are these vaccines that are coming out. By the end of the month, 20 million vaccine shots will be given. By the end of January or in February, another 100 million. Should we not reassess that? See just what would be best?”

Alabama head coach Nate Oats is on the other side of the fence, and implied that Duke’s disappointing start was a reason for Coach K’s sentiment.

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When asked his opinion on comments from Coach K and Rick Pitino, both questioning the continuation of games as the pandemic numbers are surging, the Tide’s second-year coach gave his take.

“That’s a good question,” Oats answered. “Can I ask you something? Do you think if Coach K hadn’t lost the two non-conference games at home he’d still be saying that?”

When the reporter answered “probably not,” Oats smiled.

“I just wanted you to say it,” he said. “Not me.”

Oats has been vocal about his desire to continue to play.

“I think we have a whole lot more problems if we weren’t playing games,” Oats said, “like, I mean, everybody talks about COVID … here’s the other thing. If COVID so bad, all these coaches … look, I’m trying to do my best to keep the mask up. I’ve already had COVID so I don’t even I technically had to keep it on nobody can get it for me. I’m still within 150 days that the NCAA is recommended. I see all these other guys that haven’t had it with their masks down the whole game. It’s like they got a chinstrap on.”

The Crimson Tide host Clemson on Saturday, Dec 12 with a 6:30PM tipoff scheduled.