Potential solutions for players sitting out bowl games?
We argue about the trend often but we mostly agree it's less fun when the best players don't play. How can college football address this to better protect players and appease fans?
I'd like to see the NCAA allow schools to take out larger loss-of-value insurance policies for draft eligible players as a start. If that's not financially feasible for smaller schools, perhaps that money could come partially or entirely from a pool all of the bowls have to pay into.
This wouldn't keep everyone playing but it could move the needle somewhat at least. What other ideas do we have?
December 15th, 2018 at 7:13 PM ^
The Team, The Team, The Team.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:13 PM ^
Here is a lotto ticket worth 25 million dollars but first you must go through multiple collisions at a high rate of speed and have 300 lb people land on you
or
you can not go through that and get 25 million dollars
Hmmmmm
December 15th, 2018 at 7:16 PM ^
Better yet, get rid of the names on the back of the jersey. Penn State doesn't have problems with players sitting out. McSorley and Barkley played/will play in their respective final bowl games.
December 15th, 2018 at 8:03 PM ^
Lol of course McSorley is gonna play he has no nfl future or big contract to protect. Dude will probably never play football again.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:19 PM ^
I'm always amused by how many random people on the internet are convinced that they would never think about sitting out if they were the potential first round pick. It's pretty easy to be cavalier with someone else's livelihood.
December 16th, 2018 at 9:20 AM ^
And yet, for decades prior to recently, all off the guys projected to be 1st round picks would still play in their bowl games and lead their teams for one last time. Did not significantly affect their careers for the most part. It is only recently that some of the kids decided to sit out - nothing has changed financially or logistically, only attitude.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:29 PM ^
This is a really bad take. So let's say you're in a relatively not well off family. Let's say you're about to get drafted and change that. You'd play one more game because of "the team"? Seems pretty dumb.
December 15th, 2018 at 8:03 PM ^
Well, I know that a family is a team that you've been with for 21 years.
But please discount that team for the team that I like. Or you're a selfish asshole.
And yes that Kettle is black.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:43 PM ^
Pretty odd then that the players and coaches are all extremely supportive of these players sitting out. They realize this game means nothing and it’s not worth risking a huge paycheck over.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:48 PM ^
JH coaches have to be supportive or it’s bye bye recruiting
December 16th, 2018 at 8:53 AM ^
This generation is just smarter than older generations. They have taken all the info out there and said F this I’m not risking my health when money is on the line.
I get a little tired of older people insulting younger people. Adults can ruin anything! We see it on a daily basis. But it’s the kids who don’t believe in team.
And I’m not young.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:13 PM ^
Pay them.
December 15th, 2018 at 8:09 PM ^
Right, because that’s going to be enough to offset the millions of dollars in (potential) lost income due to injury!
In fact, it will just open another whole can of worms. (“You’re being paid, you HAVE to play”.)
December 15th, 2018 at 7:14 PM ^
Stipends for players which is a yearly two way agreement, expanded playoff, but mostly everyday idiots not bitching about the decisions the players have the right to make.
December 15th, 2018 at 10:09 PM ^
No kidding. I thought this was America.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:14 PM ^
If people really want to "fix it", then (1) make the deadline to declare for the NFL draft prior to the first bowl game, (2) make declaring remove a player's NCAA eligibility. Then, all players going pro don't get to play, and the bowl becomes a game only for continuing players.
It would suck for guys like Chase, who really embraced college ball, but at least teams won't be hamstrung by a ton of guys sitting.
If Bush, Higdon, Gary, Long, and Hill all sit, does anyone know if that's the greatest number of sitters for a single team? It really seems like a lot.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:27 PM ^
That would be odd in that you are punishing a player by not allowing them to participate in their team's final game of the season because they decided to stay for a full four/five, and sometimes six years.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:31 PM ^
It's odd, but it's equitable. You're never going to be able to make people play, but you can definitely make it so they can't. Then it's no long a "Bush is a captain and he quit on the team" thing. It's just, "going pro, ok it's not your time anymore".
The bowl season straddles this weird line where they're college players, but they're moving to the pros. This just makes a stark line in the sand. Going pro? Yes. OK, you're not a college player anymore.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:43 PM ^
Chase doesn't need to declare anything. He's a senior, so I'm assuming they would all be ineligible under your "plan".
December 15th, 2018 at 7:46 PM ^
Not sure you understood the question. The point was to figure how to get more future NFL players to play in their respective bowl games, not guarantee that none of them ever will.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:55 PM ^
There are also seniors who sit out for bowl games.
December 15th, 2018 at 8:20 PM ^
I guess you don't realize that the NFL sets the deadline to declare for the draft. The NCAA can't force players to declare early.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:15 PM ^
I'm not sure. However, if I were on a committee voting on draft picks for an NFL team, I think I'd just pass on any non-injured player who decided not to play in a NY6 bowl / playoff game. That attitude will definitely transfer over when they come to the NFL.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:18 PM ^
Pay them.
December 15th, 2018 at 10:29 PM ^
I think we can begin with you. We can take a check over the phone. We will need the “routing number” that appears on your check at the bottom left hand side. Your checking account number follows the routing number and of course we’ll need that, along with the number of the check you’d like to use for this.
$5000 is your suggested “2019 Player Reimbursement Contribution.” Unfortunately this amount is not deductible under current tax law.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:18 PM ^
How about changing the redshirt rules so more freshmen can play in bowl games? That's what the NCAA did and it seems like a reasonable way to address the issue.
I'm not familiar with all the details about what insurance coverage is allowed. I know Fornette had $10 million policies. What would be sufficient for him to make up for a career ending injury? Why limit insurance just to bowl games?
I think the idea may be okay, but also that we should just accept that some players will sit out bowl games. Is it really so terrible for us as fans? I'm looking forward to seeing more of some of the players we'll rely on in the future.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:23 PM ^
I can't give you the numbers but Jake Butt bought supplemental insurance in addition to the policy the school had that sounded relatively limited from how he described it. Fournette's was a big supplemental policy, too.
Mo Hurst discussed not being able to afford what Jake had before the 2017 bowl game that will not be named.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:24 PM ^
Pay the winning bowl team a cash stipend.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:25 PM ^
I just don't understand this drive some feel to protect the sanctity of bowl games. They're basically glorified scrimmages... but that's probably just the millennial in me talking.
*Returns attention to killing chain restaurants... die Applebees, die!"
December 15th, 2018 at 7:31 PM ^
*Doesn't buy car, murdering automakers
A bunch of bowls are guaranteed ticket purchase scams anyway and even the big ones do a lot of shady shit. I think the Fiesta Bowl had a number of execs face criminal charges recently. Utah State had exactly four coaches today because humans moved on for more money, and those guys were paid in the first place.
*Rides fixie away
December 15th, 2018 at 7:32 PM ^
It's not the bowl games themselves, I don't think. It's a corollary to the Brady Hoke "I would have walked to Michigan for a chance to coach there" thing. A lot of fans would do anything for the chance to suit up for their favorite team, and there's a strong desire to think the actual players feel the same way. When guys sit out bowl games, it destroys the illusion, and shows that many of the players (correctly) view college football as, essentially, a legally mandated internship rather than the opportunity of a lifetime.
People don't like that.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:29 PM ^
two hand touch...
December 15th, 2018 at 7:34 PM ^
Pay the players.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:36 PM ^
Here's the best solution: Don't worry about it.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:37 PM ^
when NFL teams start holding it against them...
That says a lot about a guy when he just bounces on his team like that.
Like dude, its just one more game. Take out an insurance policy if you're so worried about it.
It speaks volumes to me that Chase and Bush are playing. Like its not even a question with them.
Bosa's gotta be the worst case... guy is a Captain and he just peaces out 3 games in... doesnt even entertain the possibility of coming back.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:39 PM ^
I would prefer to see 2 national champions. 16 team power five playoff. 16 team group of five playoff. I think that would make for some interesting watching.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:44 PM ^
I LIKE IT!
Except, as other state, players will skip if they're gonna skip. Does a national championship really mean that much to them anymore??? Did it ever???
They're not FROM Michigan in a lot of cases. Why should they care so much about Michigan???
Here's what I like better:
The OLD system. This way the bowl games on Jan 1 determined...it all!!! Go back to having votes, it's all chaos, and a system that's better than this current shit--An SEC/Notre Dame lovefest while allowing one or two other teams into the party every once in awhile.
Bring back the bowls--make them mean something again, even if it's a BYU winning it all in the Holliday Bowl! (OOPS, Too soon, BYU was holding the whole damn game DAMMIT!)
December 15th, 2018 at 11:41 PM ^
I love this idea. It was more fun back then. A committee now decides who's in the playoff and who's not. How is that different from sports writers and coaches voting? The present system gives you all the subjectivity of the "mythical" championship days and none of the interest, while abetting the establishment of permanent dynasties in Tuscaloosa, Columbus, Norman and Clemson. Also, get rid of conference championships and bring back shared titles. Let two or more teams be rewarded at the end of a season. It would make aid recruiting for more teams and would give more balance to leagues. Otherwise I think we are seeing one team dominating each league (except in the Pac 12) because of the dynasty thing and the advantage it brings in recruiting.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:39 PM ^
Give them money. It's an exhibition game, and they don't need to worry about eligibility.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:43 PM ^
And it's just a matter of time until 1st round picks start sitting out the playoffs, too.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:44 PM ^
December 15th, 2018 at 7:44 PM ^
Let them sit.out. Good luck to them.
December 15th, 2018 at 9:09 PM ^
December 15th, 2018 at 7:51 PM ^
Maybe we should start paying our players like the S.E.C. Does.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:53 PM ^
The clear solution is: expand the rosters to 95, move to 11 games: 9 conference games, 2 non-conference (one has to be power 5, the other has to be an FBS game). No conference championship games. Then have a 64 team playoff.
Then you make the redshirt rule as 1/2 of the games played by your team. So if your team plays 13 games, you can redshirt up until you play in 7 games.
That should take care of it.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:53 PM ^
I like the idea of having more beneficial policies with regards to insurance and other player benefits, but I think the only really effective way to target this - if we see it as an issue - would probably be an expanded playoff where more games matter. It would, at least, get players on teams who might sit to possibly play if their team is in. Clearly, it would only be so effective, for the next question is this - how big would we really want the playoff to get if expanding it were feasible (or even palatable to conferences, where there seems to be resistance right now). I don't know how you'd get those players to play otherwise.
All that said, I don't mind players sitting out.
December 15th, 2018 at 8:04 PM ^
How many players from Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma and Notre Dame are sitting out (rhetorical) ??? This should provide a clear window of explanation to the issue. These kids put a helluva a lot on the line by suiting up and putting themselves in harms way. Give them something more important to play for than the pathetic whims of the pathological partisans.
Edit: Expand the playoff teams to 16. Require each post season game to provide significant injury insurance coverage-whatever that means....5 million for a career-ending/draft-altering injury?
December 15th, 2018 at 9:08 PM ^
I like the idea of having the bowls provide insurance policies. They should see it as a way to preserve their cash cow. Even the NCAA and/or the conferences should also think about it. It’s the least they can do. And they usually do the least they can.
December 16th, 2018 at 7:00 AM ^
Furthermore, the bowls and their sponsors should not get to "hire" these kids for free-those pathetic gift packages do not count here...they only indicate that the bowls know they are taking advantage of these kids. Let the free market take up a just position and pony-up for the risks these kids are otherwise donating...and the schools for that matter-as they get paid to participate. This should not be a one-way street. And this should have nothing to do with "amateur" status.
December 15th, 2018 at 10:54 PM ^
Your question does bring things into focus.
The system is bringing about this result, makes no sense to blame the players.