Some questions here about drug testing.

Q: East Coast Trojan said:
When there are “random” steroid tests of USC football players, either by the athletic department or by the USC:

1) Are the players informed in advance about these tests? If so, how far in advance?
2) How many players usually get tested?
3) How is it decided which players are to be tested?

A: In my experience with random drug tests, around 10-15 athletes were tested. There is not supposed to be advance notice but at least player informed me he was tipped off by an assistant coach who is no longer with the program. That might not make a difference with steroids but some illegal substances will go through your system quickly and are not detected.

Q: gilligan said:
Mr. Wolf, how does the college drug testing policy compare to the NFL drug testing policy? Is one test more meticulous or are they the same? Thank you in advance.

A: I’m not an expert on the NFL testing, but it seems more comprehensive. College steroid testing seems very hit-and-miss to me in terms of how many athletes actually get tested. The NCAA often tests at bowl games, so if you are not on a team in a bowl game, you have less chance of being discovered.