How do you stop college players from opting out of bowl games?

Expand the playoffs. They don't opt out if they are in the playoffs, and the playoff teams have the most athletes people care to watch. Not much you can do about the others.

$$$$

$$$$$$$$$

Needs to be a contract. The potential of getting hurt ruins their draft position...and their bank account.

If the school honestly cares about winning for the school over the money, they'll pay up.

I'd opt out if I was them. It's understandable and the right thing to do.

Originally posted by Rubberneck36:
I'd opt out if I was them. It's understandable and the right thing to do.

It really is, I wouldn't give a s**t if my team lost the Duke Mayonnaise Bowl. Plus the obvious risk of injury and hurting your draft stock doesn't make this stuff worth it even if they start trying to pay the players. Short term gain isn't worth if it you're hopeful to having a 10-15 year career in the pros.

Who cares if they do?

Offer $25 gift cards to Outback Steakhouse or Beef O'Brady's their choice

Originally posted by English:

Originally posted by fropwns:

Originally posted by TheGore49er:
Pay them

Gore and I have talked about this sort of before, but yeah, I believe you pay them. Create a cap that Power 5 teams must adhere too and go from there. I am still a big believer that you need to separate the programs from the schools with the universities getting paid some sort of fee for the use of the name.

Liking this. They at the same time need to hold the coaches to the same standard. Absurd that teams are playing in bowl games without the coaches that got them there.

Word.

Jaylon Smith and Jake Butt should have been enough for folks to stop hating on kids opting out. But it still happens.

And more recently, Matt Corral the other day. He is supposed to be a top 10 pick. Luckily it looks like that ankle injury is just a sprain. But it could have killed his dream.

Fans want them to play so they can see their team win, recruit more players, and feed millions to the coach and people that run the school. After the kid is gone, they don't give two s**ts about them.

Good for the players! Always do what's best for yourself. Everyone else is - so why not the players?

And yes - players should be paid but I doubt that will stop the very best players to not opt out. If you are one of the top 50-100 players and you're playing in some random bowl game - you should opt out and prepare for your NFL career.

Id like to see more top players opt out of 3rd year of college and prepare for NFL as well. I remember when Chase opted out - ppl questioned his heart and love for the game. Look at him now. He's special special WR and no one is questioning his heart. We should stop judging players with a broad brush. Everyone should be evaluated on their own merit and opting out of games or even a season (which NFL forces you to be eligible) shouldn't be seen as negative against a player.

Originally posted by fropwns:

Originally posted by English:

Originally posted by fropwns:

Originally posted by TheGore49er:
Pay them

Gore and I have talked about this sort of before, but yeah, I believe you pay them. Create a cap that Power 5 teams must adhere too and go from there. I am still a big believer that you need to separate the programs from the schools with the universities getting paid some sort of fee for the use of the name.

Liking this. They at the same time need to hold the coaches to the same standard. Absurd that teams are playing in bowl games without the coaches that got them there.

Word.

Brian Kelly bailed on Notre Dame when his team still had a decent shot at the playoffs. That was pretty bad.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by TheGore49er:

Pay them

This. Imagine being a top NFL draft prospect, playing in some dead-end bowl game with no national championship implications and you wind up with a major injury that greatly impacts your future earnings, all to play in a game that you aren't earning a dime for.

If coaches routinely bounce on their teams for better, higher-paying gigs, why hold players to some other standard?

Jameson Williams looks to have suffered a serious knee injury.

Originally posted by 49erminion:
Jameson Williams looks to have suffered a serious knee injury.

He was walking off the field...with any luck it wasn't a tear.

Originally posted by jcs:

Originally posted by 49erminion:
Jameson Williams looks to have suffered a serious knee injury.

He was walking off the field...with any luck it wasn't a tear.

Chris Godwin was running and cutting before he was ruled out. Next day they announced a torn ACL