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Perhaps Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin spoke too soon. When discussing the status of his roster for the Peach Bowl last week, Kiffin suggested he didn’t think his staff would have to make any adjustments for potential players opting out to focus on their NFL future. But that turned out to not be the case for Penn State’s Peach Bowl opponent as a starting defensive lineman has opted out of the bowl game to begin preparing for his potential NFL future.
Kiffin said the decision caught him and his staff a bit off guard as they began preparing for the Peach Bowl.
“We wish him the best of luck,” Kiffin said according to a Clarion Ledger report. “We’ll miss him. He was a really important part of this team. But, you know, everybody’s got to make their own decisions nowadays. And kids think about things differently, so it is what it is. But everybody else is here.”
Ole Miss will be without starting defensive end Cedric Johnson as he puts his focus on the NFL draft. Johnson had 40 tackles this season, including 17 solo tackles, 6.5 tackles for a loss and a team-high 5.5 sacks (tied with Jared Ivey).
Penn State will also be without a starting defensive end. Chop Robinson previously made the decision to not play in the Peach Bowl, much to the delight of Kiffin, although a number of other players declaring for the draft are lining up to play in the bowl game. The week will move forward with an eye on the status of star offensive lineman Olu Fashanu and defensive back Kalen King. Fashanu has already declared for the draft but has not said whether or not he will play in the bowl game, although he was committed to traveling and practicing with the team. King has not announced his NFL plans at this time, but he is considered a potential first-round draft pick if he does decide to turn pro this year. Both players were…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/lane-kiffin-says-starting-defensive-221442692.html
Author : Nittany Lions Wire
Publish date : 2023-12-26 22:14:42
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