Opt-out players are part of a larger college football problem [opinion]

Dec. 31—ATLANTA — Dvon Ellies sat alone on the Penn State sideline Saturday with his helmet on and his head bowed seemingly trying to make sense of it all.

Ellies was hurting from the 38-25 loss to Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl. He was hurting from playing what probably was his final college game.

Guys like him, Theo Johnson, Hunter Nourzad, Caedan Wallace, Adisa Isaac, Curtis Jacobs and Daequan Hardy all sought to finish what they started with their teammates by playing in the bowl game.

“It wouldn’t sit right for me to just leave a team,” Isaac said a couple weeks ago, “leave my brothers like that.”

So he and the others played, even if it was only for a half or so. They opted to play their final college game and not sit out, which was admirable.

The Nittany Lions played short-handed because All-American Olu Fashanu and All-Big Ten picks Chop Robinson, Kalen King and Johnny Dixon opted out of the Peach Bowl to protect themselves from injury.

Their absences might not have decided the outcome, but they surely didn’t help Penn state against a very strong opponent.

Fashanu is rated the best left tackle available in the draft and a projected top-five pick. Robinson is a premier pass rusher, another valuable position, who’s also expected to be taken in the first round.

Maybe you don’t like their decisions, but you can certainly understand them.

King and Dixon, Penn State’s starting cornerbacks, had an opportunity to improve their draft stock against an outstanding Ole Miss passing attack and chose not to play. Hardy decided to play for that very reason.

Neither King or Dixon is expected to be taken in the first round. With them out, the Rebels scorched youngsters Cam Miller, Zion Tracy and Elliot Robinson.

“Since when (do) non-first rounders sit out bowl games?” former Penn State wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton asked Saturday on…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/opt-players-part-larger-college-044900034.html

Author : Reading Eagle, Pa.

Publish date : 2024-01-01 04:49:00

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