If you were in Levis' shoes.

[Boyd94]

Would you skip the bowl game? What are the actual chances he gets seriously hurt? I think it fits with the one and done basketball kids. A lot probably would come back another year but for fear of serious injury, because once your youth is gone, you never get it back.

 

[SaltyCat22]

I’d play but only because I hate the “B1G” and I’m not afraid to go against Little Ten white guys who Iowa has on defense. They are decent for their Little Ten conference but those guys ain’t SEC.

 

[cat_in_the_hat]

The world is changing, but I would play because I know when you sign up to play it includes regular season and bowl games. I would feel bad about not fulfilling my obligation. That assumes the injury isn't a problem.

 

[Kybluedude]

I think he’s still hurting. Needs to heal up and get ready for his future.

 

[Cefiro]

No, there’s no upside for him.

 

[Boyd94]

I think he’s still hurting. Needs to heal up and get ready for his future.

But what would you do if you were in his shoes?

 

[sieken]

I would sit out and heal up. He plans to enter the draft, I think his draft stock, in part, is based on his mobility. He needs to show that at the combine to maximize his draft stock. I think he is making the right decision.

 

[gregbookout]

The way I was raised, you didn’t quit on your team, you played until the end of the season. Times have changed, and not for the better.

 

[dallasg23]

Playing for a music city bowl at 7-5 in no way is worth taking any chance if I’m a potential first round pick. Chance to win 10+ in nice warm Florida the. I may feel different. But dude has been beat to death all year. He easily could have decided to sit after his should injury but came back. He earned the chance to heal up.

 

[Rembrandt90]

Would you skip the bowl game? What are the actual chances he gets seriously hurt? I think it fits with the one and done basketball kids. A lot probably would come back another year but for fear of serious injury, because once your youth is gone, you never get it back.

LOL! None of us are in Levis' shoes. Everyone here wants to be entertained and looks at our football team as an entertainment entity. Everyone who will respond to your OP has nothing to lose by saying they would play in the game if they were Levis.

I am disappointed. For the obvious reasons, I don't care for the opt out decision. I attended the Citrus Bowl last year and had a lot of respect for Levis' performance in the game. I know UK has a narrow window to be competitive in the MCB without Levis. But I will not presume to know what it feels like to take the physical beating that Levis has taken this season, or to understand what is required to prepare for the NFL draft. He is making a business decision. I have made business decisions in my own life, and it is never simple.

 

[sluggercatfan]

The world is changing, but I would play because I know when you sign up to play it includes regular season and bowl games. I would feel bad about not fulfilling my obligation. That assumes the injury isn't a problem.

If not for injuries, I think he plays. Needs to heal up for pro workouts. He's go his future to consider. If our backup qb can't beat their 3rd stringer we are in bad shape.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

I'd sit out. It's a meaningless bowl game.

 

[BlueRaider22]

To me it would be different it we went 9-3 or 10-2 for the year. Going 7-5 and playing a team with an absolute terrible offense….even with their top 2 QBs….meh. We should be able to take them without his help. Should…

 

[KYWC36]

If I was still hurting from the season and needed to heal up for my draft prep, then I would probably set out yes

 

[drew0422]

The way I was raised, you didn’t quit on your team, you played until the end of the season. Times have changed, and not for the better.

This ain’t peewee football man he has millions of dollars on the line for his future family. He’s done enough and the results of this bowl game matter very little.

 

[ekywildcat]

I'm fine with Levis sitting out. If we were in a better bowl, playing for 11 wins, I'd love to see him play. But 7-5 playing the same team we played last year, I'm not too excited. But I'm happy we made a bowl game, I remember the struggles to get that sixth win!

 

[Girthang]

Would you skip the bowl game? What are the actual chances he gets seriously hurt? I think it fits with the one and done basketball kids. A lot probably would come back another year but for fear of serious injury, because once your youth is gone, you never get it back.

I'd play. I don't have a problem with his decision, but I'd play. I love the game. Especially the college game. It's not the same for many now because theyre making "NIL" money playing it already. Id play another game today if I could play one with the guys on my team from decades ago.

 

[FtWorthCat]

If I were Levis and had already led us to a win in a better bowl last year, I would probably skip the Music City this year. The Ole Miss QB, Matt Corral, was injured in the Sugar Bowl last year, and it may have hurt him in the Draft. He was projected in the late first round, and went in the late 3rd. Willis McGahee was never the same player after his injury in the Fiesta Bowl, but that was the National Championship Game. If it was the Sugar Bowl or the Playoffs, hell yes I would be playing though.

 

[Girthang]

LOL! None of us are in Levis' shoes. Everyone here wants to be entertained and looks at our football team as an entertainment entity. Everyone who will respond to your OP has nothing to lose by saying they would play in the game if they were Levis.

I am disappointed. For the obvious reasons, I don't care for the opt out decision. I attended the Citrus Bowl last year and had a lot of respect for Levis' performance in the game. I know UK has a narrow window to be competitive in the MCB without Levis. But I will not presume to know what it feels like to take the physical beating that Levis has taken this season, or to understand what is required to prepare for the NFL draft. He is making a business decision. I have made business decisions in my own life, and it is never simple.

That's an incorrect assumption, but not inaccurate. Most probably only see it that way. You included, of course, or you wouldn't have said it.

I played football. I miss playing football now, scores of years after I played my last game. I know what it's like to be part of a team. I played hurt and I played healthy, but I never thought my last game would be my last game. Something outside of football took football away for me. Life took football away from a friend of mine, but it took his life as well.

Levis had his senior day, and took it all in I'm sure. If he's ready to sit out, I'm happy he can make that decision. I hope he gets another chance to play, because you just never know what will happen a month from now.

If it was just entertainment, I wouldn't be disappointed. I wouldn't be so sad on senior day, as I am every year.

 

[Girthang]

I think he’s still hurting. Needs to heal up and get ready for his future.

I think you're right. He's a bad pro day from dropping a few rounds and you can't have a good pro day with two sore shoulders and turf toe (which can linger worse than a tattoo of an ex girlfriend)

 

[Blue_2_the_bone]

I would want to play, but I’d also be smart enough not to play.

 

[specialkd24]

Had we played Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl ... maybe he plays.

This is a meaningless game against a team we beat last year. No reason to risk getting hurt.

Too bad the O-Line let him down this year and got him hurt in the Ole Miss game. That is when the high expectations for the season vanished.

 

[Jimerussell]

The way I was raised, you didn’t quit on your team, you played until the end of the season. Times have changed, and not for the better.

Excellent answer. Most of us are too old to think otherwise. I'm not sure where us fans even fit into the new sports universe. I'm fairly done with basketball and teetering on the brink with football. I want to still love it, but circumstances aren't making it easy.

 

[THE_OAK]

If I had his injuries and was projected to go in the first round of the draft I would sit out as well. For him, there really is no upside to playing this bowl game. I get we are all fans, but if I were in his position I would be more worried about my future career than playing in the MCB. If it were a bigger bowl, then yeah I would probably play, but sitting at 7-5 in Nashville with this OL. Nah, I'm good.

 

[Jayintoledo]

I think you're right. He's a bad pro day from dropping a few rounds and you can't have a good pro day with two sore shoulders and turf toe (which can linger worse than a tattoo of an ex girlfriend)

Problem is it looks like the turf toe is all bull.. He cost us games by kicking a damn chair or locker or whatever it is..

 

[Nuke99m]

I'm going to make multiple millions if I skip the bowl. If I play I could blow out my knee or shoulder on hit.
What's the upside of me playing? If you are selfish enough as a teammate to begrudge me my future earnings because I didn't risk injury in a meaningless bowl, that's on you.

 

[KyCatFan]

I'd have a hard time sitting it out. With a month to rest before the game and then 4 months until the combine, that should be plenty of time to get back to 100%. It isn't like he has a serious injury. I still don't see him going as high as people think and his workouts and combine will ultimately have him drop in the draft. I just never seen what all the hype was about. Without a great offensive line and him being able to run with the ball, he looked rather pedestrian most of the season. I think most of his qb problems are between the ears.

 

[frigimall]

The only problem with players opting out is the NIL money they receive. I would think the collectives provide money with the expectation of the individual playing, otherwise I don't blame any of them for opting out.

 

[Boyd94]

I'm going to make multiple millions if I skip the bowl. If I play I could blow out my knee or shoulder on hit.
What's the upside of me playing? If you are selfish enough as a teammate to begrudge me my future earnings because I didn't risk injury in a meaningless bowl, that's on you.

But why just the bowl game? Why not shut it down after Ole Miss? Why even play any games? The risk for injury is always there.

 

[KyCatFan]

They should just include an insurance plan with the NIL for if they get injured and it cuts their playing days short. Might not be tens of millions but a few million is a lot of money that can set you and your family up for life if you are smart with it. Then maybe it might cut down on some of the opting out. At the very least there should be a punishment to where you don't receive all of your NIL money and you no longer can live or train on campus if you opt out.

 

[Nuke99m]

But why just the bowl game? Why not shut it down after Ole Miss? Why even play any games? The risk for injury is always there.

Because he can do it without taking a hit on the draft board. If you can quit after the S.C. game without taking a financial hit then do it. It's a business, it's not personal.

 

[Caveman Catfan]

Gat healthy for the combine. Not gonna blame him for passing on a lower bowl rematch with Iowa.

 

[WildCard]

The way I was raised, you didn’t quit on your team, you played until the end of the season. Times have changed, and not for the better.

I hear 'ya bro. If injured or hurt I'de sit, but healthy, I play. You summed it up in your first sentence - you don't quit on your team. And yes, this is about "the way you were raised".

Peace

 

[fabcat]

Would you skip the bowl game? What are the actual chances he gets seriously hurt? I think it fits with the one and done basketball kids. A lot probably would come back another year but for fear of serious injury, because once your youth is gone, you never get it back.

If he was fully healthy IMO he would be playing. He is still not close to 100%. He was injured worse than he or the staff let on. Kid gutted it out the last 8 weeks of the season. He doesn’t owe us anything by playing in the Bowl game.

 

[Johnfarrel]

If I were in Levi's shoes, I'd probably limp .

 

[Girthang]

Problem is it looks like the turf toe is all bull.. He cost us games by kicking a damn chair or locker or whatever it is..

I don't care how he got it. It's still the same injury. Still just as painful and can linger for months

 

[Girthang]

Had we played Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl ... maybe he plays.

This is a meaningless game against a team we beat last year. No reason to risk getting hurt.

Too bad the O-Line let him down this year and got him hurt in the Ole Miss game. That is when the high expectations for the season vanished.

The Gators bowl is just as "meaningless" as this one, if that's the attitude of anyone. Either they are meaningless outside of the playoff or they aren't. Doesn't matter how many there are

 

[Rembrandt90]

That's an incorrect assumption, but not inaccurate. Most probably only see it that way. You included, of course, or you wouldn't have said it.

I played football. I miss playing football now, scores of years after I played my last game. I know what it's like to be part of a team. I played hurt and I played healthy, but I never thought my last game would be my last game. Something outside of football took football away for me. Life took football away from a friend of mine, but it took his life as well.

Levis had his senior day, and took it all in I'm sure. If he's ready to sit out, I'm happy he can make that decision. I hope he gets another chance to play, because you just never know what will happen a month from now.

If it was just entertainment, I wouldn't be disappointed. I wouldn't be so sad on senior day, as I am every year.

That is not what I said.

I think the idea that posters on this board can put themselves in Levis' shoes and intelligently say how he should be feeling and what he should decide about the bowl game is pretty silly. I gave my reasons. And I also played football.

 

[TopCatCal]

Would you skip the bowl game? What are the actual chances he gets seriously hurt? I think it fits with the one and done basketball kids. A lot probably would come back another year but for fear of serious injury, because once your youth is gone, you never get it back.

Why would anyone in Levis' shoes come back for another year? He's projected to be a top-5 pick. His offensive line this season about got him killed. This pathetic O-Line is probably the reason he opted out of our bowl game. I hate that he's not going to play against Iowa, but it's understandable.

 

[Girthang]

That is not what I said.

I think the idea that posters on this board can put themselves in Levis' shoes and intelligently say what he should decide about the bowl is pretty silly. I gave my reasons. And I also played football.

That's not what the post is asking and not what most are commenting upon. Now I understand your misdirected rant in there.

It asked directly and specifically, "What would you do if you were in Levis' shoes?"

It absolutely DIDN'T ask "What should Levis do?"