Midweek Musings - Opt Outs

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Stir the pot!

With just a couple days to go before Penn State takes on Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl, the only confirmed player opting out of playing for the Lions is defensive end Chop Robinson.

There have been a few other players - tight end Theo Johnson, defensive back Daequan Hardy - that have announced their intentions to forgo their remaining college availability and will head to the NFL draft, but have said they will play in the bowl.

Left tackle Olu Fashanu will also be heading to the draft, but has not formalized his intentions on playing in the bowl game.

In other words, the opt out bug seems to have largely missed PSU this year.

Contrast that with the UGA-OSU Orange Bowl, which purportedly has 40+ players sitting out or transferring, and you have the opposite end of the spectrum.

I, personally, see no issue with opting out. Most football players don’t have college football as their highest aspiration, especially ones that enroll at blue blood playoff contenders. They want to win a national championship, sure, but if that’s their highest achievement - and not generational, life-changing money - what was it all for?

In my mind, if you’re good enough that 3+ years of collegiate film have all but secured you a spot at the next level, you are well within your rights not to risk your body before securing that bag.

Yes, yes, loyalty to the team, coaches, fellow players, blah blah blah.

If someone said “you’re good, do nothing but sit tight until April then get several million dollars,” guess what I’m doing? Exactly. Nothing.

But what do y’all think? Should players risk it all to play one more time in meaningless bowl games? Or secure their - and their families’ - financial futures by sitting out?

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By: Chris Lucia
Title: Midweek Musings - Opt Outs
Sourced From: www.blackshoediaries.com/2023/12/28/24016188/midweek-musings-opt-outs-bsd-penn-state-nittany-lions-football-peach-bowl
Published Date: Thu, 28 Dec 2023 11:52:00 +0000

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