Higdon Playing in the Senior Bowl When He Didn't Play in the Peach Bowl?
Karan Higdon admitted today that Harbaugh was pissed he didn't play in the Peach Bowl. And while I fully support any player's right to look out for his future, how can Higdon justify playing in the Senior Bowl when he didn't play in the Peach Bowl? (He's the only Michigan player in the Senior Bowl, by the way.)
The "I didn't want to get hurt before the draft" excuse is clearly not true, because he could get hurt in the Senior Bowl just as easily as he could have in the Peach Bowl. Did he sit out the Peach Bowl because he thought he had proven all he needed to in college? If so, why is he playing in the Senior Bowl?
I haven't scoured the Senior Bowl rosters enough to see if there are any guys who skipped their team's bowl game. This is his life and his career, but this is a really bad look for a Michigan captain.
January 23rd, 2019 at 8:41 AM ^
Marginal at best? So being at the Senior Bowl for a week with Scouts from every team, being coached by NFL coaches, getting to meet and interview with these coaches during the week is marginal? The Senior Bowl is huge for potential late to mid round picks and their draft stock.
January 22nd, 2019 at 11:37 PM ^
Some players will play, some won’t. You know what bowl game they probably won’t skip? The ones in the CFP. Outside of that it’s a business decision and it’s none of my business. I’m not let down by their decision because they don’t owe me anything and if they’ve got a degree there’s very little upside to sticking around for a bowl game no ones watching. Be grateful for the Chase Winovichs who decide to play and wish the Karan Higdons well. He played his ass off for the university for four years. If it doesn’t sit well with you that he didn’t play in bowl game but may play a bit in a heavily scouted exhibition style game, he doesn’t care and neither do I.
January 22nd, 2019 at 11:57 PM ^
You care, you posted. Fans are the REASON there is an NFL for theses guys to dream of, the reason they train for million dollar contracts is because fans pay money. These case aren't really about the fans or even the university, it's about teammates. I think if you asked the players to answer anonymously I think you would see they care. Nobody wants to suit up and sacrifice their body to lose.
January 23rd, 2019 at 12:08 AM ^
Sure his teammates are about the only people who could complain about this but instead the get off my lawn crowds wants to post about how they don’t like how the game is changing. Fine. Post away. If you think his teammates are pissed at him sure go for it. I’m sure they can’t forgive him for working his whole life to get a shot at the league, which very few kids get to do, while he has a kid to support and dreams to fulfill. They probably hate his guts for being so selfish as to choose to skip a game vs florida. Or maybe just maybe they understand a little bit. Less than 1% of high school football players will get drafted. The average NFL rb has a career of less than 3 years. Karan was a stand up leader, captain, student, and representative of the university by all accounts while he was here. To see him trashed by some fans in this thread as not being that good or being selfish is just embarrassing. Sorry if the fans don’t like his decision but the games changed and it’s not changing back.
January 23rd, 2019 at 1:09 AM ^
Leaders don’t do what Higdon did. They do what Winovich and Florida’s Chauncey Gardner-Johnson did. They play for their teammates.
January 23rd, 2019 at 1:19 AM ^
Looking forward to reading your Leadership newsletter so I can be a better man.
January 22nd, 2019 at 11:45 PM ^
He sat out to stay healthy for the draft process. Not to be healthy at the literal draft event.
January 22nd, 2019 at 11:46 PM ^
Can we just let this go? Coaches leave all the time for their own reasons. Besides, Higdon playing wouldn't change the fact that the defense got smoked!
January 22nd, 2019 at 11:47 PM ^
Who cares. The infatuation with higdon is so exaggerated. He was not that good. He was good enough for what the coaches asked him to do, but he wasn't a stud. Our rbs next year will be better. Same goes for Gary. Way too much hype with little productivity. We will be better next year anyways.
January 22nd, 2019 at 11:57 PM ^
Evans probably won’t be better next year. Higdon was a good, not great, RB. Evans wasn’t even good last year.
I hope he makes a fortune in the NFL, but I’d be surprised if he’s on a team in five years. He’s no denard, that’s for sure.
January 23rd, 2019 at 12:28 AM ^
I agree. I'm really high on turner and charbonnet. I think they'll be better than our rbs this past year, especially if we go power spread w gattis.
January 23rd, 2019 at 1:43 AM ^
Turner is going to rush for more yards than Evans. He is a better more physical runner. As long as he can pass block I think he will have a better season than Higdon just had.
January 23rd, 2019 at 7:31 AM ^
yup, let’s bitch about what players didn’t do as they head out the door. it’s a great look.
January 23rd, 2019 at 8:43 AM ^
No worse than sitting out of the bowl game while bitching about getting snubbed for a team award.
January 22nd, 2019 at 11:55 PM ^
FWIW, I bet he did wrestle with his decision and think he might have played in Fiesta bowl. He had already played two games for Michigan against Florida when we drew the Peach Bowl this year. He played his keester off when he suited up for Michigan these past four years, and I will always appreciate him for that even if most of us wish he would have played in the Peach Bowl. Hope he has a great NFL career.
January 23rd, 2019 at 12:44 AM ^
It was fucking dumb for him to sit out the Peach Bowl so at least he appears to be wisening up a bit.
January 23rd, 2019 at 12:51 AM ^
If he had taken out an injury insurance policy, gotten hurt in the Peach Bowl and cashed in, he probably would have made more than he ever will in the NFL. In all honesty, he'll probably be playing in Canada or the American Alliance football thing in a year or two.
January 23rd, 2019 at 1:00 AM ^
If he was a first or second round pick, I'd would advise him to sit out the bowl game. I doubt he will go before round 5. Thus, he may have played some more college ball. Higdon will probably be a 3rd RB for some team who may work his way up to number 2 or he may not be in the NFL in a couple seasons.
January 23rd, 2019 at 1:11 AM ^
Senior Bowl is more an individual honor.
January 23rd, 2019 at 1:39 AM ^
Cool.
An anagram for Karan Higdon is Rank A Dingho.
January 23rd, 2019 at 1:40 AM ^
After watching Jake Butt tank his draft stock with that injury in the Bowl Game are we really still asking this question?
For potential draft picks, this is a business. I hate it, but their health is a huge part of their potential value. The risk/reward proposition of playing in a non-playoff bowl game is terrible--it is almost all risk.
January 23rd, 2019 at 8:15 AM ^
We are still talking about it because for every Jake Butt (1 person) there have been dozens and dozens and dozens of Michigan players over the years who have played in the bowl game and NOT “tanked” their draft stock by getting injured. Higdon was not looking at a top 10 pick potential like McCaffery and Fournette a couple years ago. As team captain it was ridicidulous to sit out.
My guess is that Harbaugh will be addressing this with the potential team captains going into next season and we won’t be talking about this as much at the end of next season.
January 23rd, 2019 at 1:54 AM ^
Just a different type of game, with the opportunity to work with people who will help him prepare for the NFL. This is a symptom of the system, not a criticism of Higdon.
January 23rd, 2019 at 2:06 AM ^
It's interesting but not for a fan to get worked up about. I'm not in his shoes so won't lose any sleep. I hope he does get to play on Sundays.
GO BLUE!
January 23rd, 2019 at 2:13 AM ^
Welcome back from your Antarctic expedition OP.
January 23rd, 2019 at 3:00 AM ^
Bowl games dont matter. So says the board so say we all.
unless we lose that game then there will be a thread of equal parts troll, flames, and snowflakes.
January 23rd, 2019 at 5:17 AM ^
It’s simple. A month of workouts that focus on individual improvements in strength, technique and stamina are more beneficial than a month of bowl prep.
A week of practices in front of NFL Scouts that focuses on showcasing each individual player is more beneficial than going through a week preparing to play Florida with no scouts in attendance.
Playing in the Senior Bowl itself isn’t the part that is beneficial. It’s the additional time with scouts and the extra month to work solely on the skills that scouts covet that is so important.
January 23rd, 2019 at 5:18 AM ^
Can't we just go back to sharing gravy recipes?
January 23rd, 2019 at 5:55 AM ^
Let’s say for the sake of argument that the team has two losses going into the last game of the year. Does a player set out that game because he could be injured?
Injuries happen, that’s part of the game and its an accepted part of all sports. When players start getting selective on games it sets a bad tone.
As a captain more is expected, that comes with the title and I would think that was conveyed by Harbaugh. I would venture to say as a player Jim would have never missed that game.
January 23rd, 2019 at 9:04 AM ^
Yes, you will start to see players sitting out with 3 games left in a season if they are 1st or 2nd round material with plenty of game tape already on film. This will absolutely happen.
January 23rd, 2019 at 5:55 AM ^
Double post
January 23rd, 2019 at 6:07 AM ^
Peach is about college, the Senior is about the pro's and remember Higdon and family were reportedly unhappy about the way he was used in the OSU debacle.
January 23rd, 2019 at 7:26 AM ^
“reportedly,” a.k.a. “made up out of whole cloth by some message board moron.”
January 23rd, 2019 at 6:31 AM ^
He was the "CAPTAIN" , this is Michigan for christ sake , "PLAY" for your team
January 23rd, 2019 at 6:32 AM ^
Do you guys use corn starch or flour when you make gravy?
January 23rd, 2019 at 6:39 AM ^
January 23rd, 2019 at 6:45 AM ^
You’re being angry over nothing. The senior bowl game doesn’t matter that much. It’s the practices. That’s what scouts watch the most.
And as far as it being a “bad look” the captain didn’t play the Peach Bowl again I think you’re being angry for the sake of it.
January 23rd, 2019 at 6:46 AM ^
Bush league.
/No pun intended.
January 23rd, 2019 at 6:54 AM ^
Thanks Higdon for your time at Michigan.
I remember your first carry against Northwestern at the Big House and my brother asked “who is that” I said I had no clue.
Always Go Blue!
January 23rd, 2019 at 6:58 AM ^
I think it's a shity move. If a university wanted to be a dick they could say he was obligated by contract to play in the bowl game. Yet, they do not do this because of bad PR. The reason was given you didn't want to get hurt, but you had a change of heart. As a teammate I would lose some respect.
January 23rd, 2019 at 7:17 AM ^
Guys, please start posting threads about your life decisions here so we can carefully analyze them and tear you apart for making them.
Thanks.
January 23rd, 2019 at 8:25 AM ^
I never should have left Michigan in 2006.
January 23rd, 2019 at 8:46 AM ^
I was just back after being away for six months. The roads are fucking awful - don't feel too bad.
January 23rd, 2019 at 7:24 AM ^
no, it’s not.
January 23rd, 2019 at 7:26 AM ^
This crap about the Senior Bowl being huge for draft stock is getting annoying...If Higdon plays in the Peach Bowl and tears it up, his stock goes up.
The Senior Bowl is nice if you're Jimmy Smith from a small under scouted school.
If you're Karan Higdon a 2 year starter at Michigan, you've been scouted dozens of times in person and on film and you still have M's pro day as well as the combine.
Oh and btw, an entire year of Michigan football and all the bowl games produced how many serious injuries???
January 23rd, 2019 at 8:21 AM ^
Welp, Winovich & Gary were limited vs osu, which turned out to be fairly important
January 23rd, 2019 at 7:33 AM ^
Senior bowl invites are limited. All the pro scouts attend each practice to witness firsthand player skills and test the character of the player. It is Iike a tryout camp. The game itself isn’t all that important.
Only Winovich and Higdon from Michigan received an invite. Winovich couldn’t participate due to injury. Higdon decided he could not risk Chase’s fate.
Next man up ...
January 23rd, 2019 at 7:54 AM ^
I remember using the last month before the bar exam collaborating with my classmates to write an extra credit report about a specific legal doctrine instead of looking out for my future and studying what was going to be on the bar exam.
/s
January 23rd, 2019 at 7:55 AM ^
Well I really did not understand why he did not play from the beginning. It’s not like it’s a first/second rounder sitting out. I mean is he even a 5/6 round back? But Higdon playing in the senior bowl makes perfect sense as it will help his draft stock so now it’s a business and will help him financially if he does well. So this actually makes perfect sense.
January 23rd, 2019 at 8:12 AM ^
Still can't believe this behavior from a player who will not be drafted early and will probably get very little run in the NFL