I watched the first half of the Florida-Oklahoma game, and like most IU Fans, I'm happy Florida got drilled. However, I'm not happy about the underlying circumstances. Their top 3 Receivers "Opted Out" to prepare for the Draft, leaving them very short handed. My first thought is would these guys still be with the Team if they were playing for the Championship. My guess is yes. they would want the glory and publicity of playing in those games.
I posted something like this, several weeks ago. The term opting out has become the Catch all term for any absence from the team. Kids who decided not to come back for their last year opted out. Those who decided not to play at the beginning of the year, or during the year after the effects of COVID became evident opted out. Those who have temporarily left the team during the Year for an undetermined length of time due to a personal or family emergency, haven't opted out. They are on an excused Leave of Absence. Those who left their teams at mid year or before a Bowl Game didn't Opt-Out. They outright quit on their team and teammates. Call it what it is.
If I were an NFL GM., I would look cautiously at these guys. Do they have the fortitude and desire to work through things and play hard when things aren't going well, or will they do everything they can to distance themselves from their teammates to avoid responsibility for the situation. Are they the guys who want constant tickets to the training room to avoid Practice, and guys who will develop mysterious injuries (pulled hammie, pulled groin) to avoid playing "Meaningless Games"?
I think the time has come for the NCAA to do something about this. A provision should be added to the Scholarship Agreement requiring any player who voluntarily left the team prior to year end without reasonable cause, to pay the School for the Economic Benefit of the Scholarship for that Semester.
I posted something like this, several weeks ago. The term opting out has become the Catch all term for any absence from the team. Kids who decided not to come back for their last year opted out. Those who decided not to play at the beginning of the year, or during the year after the effects of COVID became evident opted out. Those who have temporarily left the team during the Year for an undetermined length of time due to a personal or family emergency, haven't opted out. They are on an excused Leave of Absence. Those who left their teams at mid year or before a Bowl Game didn't Opt-Out. They outright quit on their team and teammates. Call it what it is.
If I were an NFL GM., I would look cautiously at these guys. Do they have the fortitude and desire to work through things and play hard when things aren't going well, or will they do everything they can to distance themselves from their teammates to avoid responsibility for the situation. Are they the guys who want constant tickets to the training room to avoid Practice, and guys who will develop mysterious injuries (pulled hammie, pulled groin) to avoid playing "Meaningless Games"?
I think the time has come for the NCAA to do something about this. A provision should be added to the Scholarship Agreement requiring any player who voluntarily left the team prior to year end without reasonable cause, to pay the School for the Economic Benefit of the Scholarship for that Semester.