He is good at playing football. That's the reason he is paid.
Probably best for all parties that Levis not play in weed-eater bowl
- Thread starter PensacolaBlue
- Start date
IMO he has earned the right to make a decision for himself here. It's his future not mine or yours. If he wants to play great, I'f he doesn't it will not diminish his career here, at least not to me
Why play yesterday then? We were already bowl eligible. The game from his business standpoint was rather meaningless. Why play against Georgia where it was much more likely he get injured than any other game. Why should anyone projected in the first round keep playing even if they are in the running for a CFP. While great to compete and win, it doesn’t do anything for their career, they make no money for playing and winning and should they get hurt it could be a disastrous business decision. All these games are meaningless in relation to their career so when should one just say that’s enough for me I’m good and check out.
Signed a 6 year 68 million dollar contract in 2019. Think he’s doing fine. Still signed for 4.42 million after getting drafted in 2nd round. Sure his first contract could have been more lucrative but let’s not act like he still didn’t come out ok because he played and got injured. Also stated he has zero regrets about playing.
A quick reminder that Jaylon Smith's bowl game injury likely cost him tens of millions
It was horrible to watch. Jaylon Smith was headed to be a possible top-5 draft pick when in his final college game, he was pushed from behind and awkwardly twisted and bent his knee. The injury was…ftw.usatoday.com
You lecture us to “start” thinking like a football school when you started posting on UK’s only relevant football forum, this week.
Uh, something’s wrong with this thread!!!
I would agree there is benefit to him sitting except whatever QB, OC and many of the players who play in this bowl game aren't really even playing for next year, because I assume a lot will be changing anyway. It's not like the future OC and QB need reps because they will start next year.
Why should the focus be 100% on next year? When UK is 6-6 or 7-5 again next year, who else are you gonna be okay with “sitting out the bowl game.” Where does that end for you? Only when UK has made the 4 team playoff? Im sorry, these guys are pros now and need to act like it. You either care about UK football and how they do “all the time” no matter the situation or you don’t.
He's planning on being sick or injured a month from now?
He’s hurt now. When you take injections before the game and half to play…..he’s shown up 6-7 weeks in a row when he shouldn’t have
In the article on KSR the other day he thanked Kentucky for taking a chance on him. Now he needs to finish the job. Kentucky hasn't had to deal with players sitting out in post season games and shouldn't have to, if Josh Allen and Benny Snell can play, he can.
It’s his decision.
He can’t be made to play.
I will think less of him if he does not play, as I thought more of Allen, Snell and others who did play.
He can’t be made to play.
I will think less of him if he does not play, as I thought more of Allen, Snell and others who did play.
That “rah rah shit” drives 95% of fan attendance and funds these foolish coaches and player’s NIL contracts.
Levis has a decision to make, but it is not a one-sided business decision.
QB’s are leaders of their team.
Let him lead or let him leave!!
Todays priorities are so out of wack. Without Universities these players have no place to market their skills. The University will thrive with or without sports. The athletes get tuition, books, food, healthcare, training and money for their services. If they choose not to play all of the above should cease immediately, no room, no training, no food, no travel to bowl. If average Joe decides to quit doing his job what happens to him. Maybe if we had some of this 1952 mentality people could walk the street safely at night, criminals would be in jail and just maybe people would act a little more civilized toward their fellow man.
First off, nobody is lecturing anybody. It’s called an opinion and this is a forum for football discussions so you can take it or leave it. Second, the fact that I just started posting on this board is irrelevant 🤦🏻♂️
Yes, technically all non-playoff games are irrelevant in a way, but I would want Levis to play if we were Sugar Bowl bound or playing in an upper tier bow. A Liberty Bowl against Houston…not so much. This has been a disappointing season and no bowl win is going to change that fact. IMHO we should focus on next year at this point. SC is in a totally different situation for instance, and I’d be pissed if my seniors sat if I was a gamecock (just one example).
Many are acting as though the scholarship FB players are playing at UK for free. They are not. They're receiving a mid-six figure value in education tuition, books, tutors, living expenses, food, trainers, nutritionists, fitness coaching, medical care, travel, hotels, etc all while playing games on TV and SHOWCASING THEIR SKILLS TO THE NFL.
There is an exchange of consideration in this deal. UK has provided, is providing, and will continue to provide all of these benefits for players for as long as they maintain their position on the roster. Players OWE the school their best efforts in the gym, film room, practice field and in games (as well as staying academically eligible) in exchange for the school's providing of FB related benefits.
If uninjured players break faith with the scholarship agreement and attempt to sit out games, the school should cease providing benefits and ask them professionally and politely to depart campus.
Doing this once will set the example for other players looking to "opt out" of their responsibility to play FB in exchange for scholarships.
GBB!
There is an exchange of consideration in this deal. UK has provided, is providing, and will continue to provide all of these benefits for players for as long as they maintain their position on the roster. Players OWE the school their best efforts in the gym, film room, practice field and in games (as well as staying academically eligible) in exchange for the school's providing of FB related benefits.
If uninjured players break faith with the scholarship agreement and attempt to sit out games, the school should cease providing benefits and ask them professionally and politely to depart campus.
Doing this once will set the example for other players looking to "opt out" of their responsibility to play FB in exchange for scholarships.
GBB!
In order to win 10+ a team has to win 8.Sure we all want to win 10+ but to get there the more games you win the closer you get to that goal. If you play a game you play to win. We aren't a football school, maybe we are on the way to being one, but it is a work in progress.
When more players start opting out of half the season - and they will eventually - a lot of attitudes about this will change.
In the broadest sense, even college football is meaningless in an infinite Universe, but I like it.
I count no games as meaningless . . . as any collegiate football game stands on it’s own as an “event.”
Hence, Centre College and hundreds of others can site records dating back the last 140 years regarding individuals and games.
Heck, lose more than 6 and cancel the rest of the season!
Just ask the throng at aTm how meaningless was their season-ending victory over LSU.
. . . and showcasing their skills to NIL providers . . . who in some cases pay out a multiple of the six-figure benefit you list.
Hell no. We're going for five straight bowl championships. if he don't play in that ****ing bowl game I'll always hold it against him. I will wish the worst on him in the nfl. We're playing for something big..... we better have our quarterback!
I feel strongly about him playing. Five straight bowl championships is not something to scoff at. We don't have a chance in hell without levis
Our fan base is really ridiculous for a lot of reasons but for the purposes of this response- in the grand scheme of things, the bowl game is very important and much more important than whatever Levis does. The bowl game is and always will be about extra practices and is key to the development of any football program. The wins and notoriety are great, but every coach will tell you the most important thing is the extra time and practices they get with their underclassman. I understand we have had a disappointing year but we really have a lot of entitled basketball fans trying to be football fans and most don’t have a clue
As I said.. where ya been all year.?.. and you just joined last night?.... which name were you before?
At the end of the day, I think who we will play will go a long way to determine who plays and who sats out the bowl game. If we get a decent opponent that can allow Levis (or anyone else) to showcase their skillset, they probably play, but if not, why play? I don't like it, but if a player is going pro, it is and should be their right to sat out. Fans find it selfish but the reality is the players and coaches do not and in most cases fully support those who sit out. As I said, I normally wish all players would play, but this is a year it seems we would benefit more long term from others filling in, the problem here is I don't think we have our next QB on the roster yet. I think Levis will sat, as of today he seems to be a lock top 15 pick and apparently it didnt matter what happened on the field
I know he's a projected high draft pick already, but playing in the bowl game may still be the best thing for him. Even with his current draft status he really didn't have a great season - at least not one that a projected top 10 pick should have. So getting a full month to rest up for his final opportunity to show what he can really do in a competitive situation when healthy and improve some of the stock he's lost over the last few months should merit serious consideration.
I don't really expect him to play given injury risk (i.e., Matt Corral last year) and I imagine his advisors will be pushing him not to. But he's clearly a competitive and passionate guy so it feels like saying no to one last ride would be pretty difficult for someone like him to do.
I don't really expect him to play given injury risk (i.e., Matt Corral last year) and I imagine his advisors will be pushing him not to. But he's clearly a competitive and passionate guy so it feels like saying no to one last ride would be pretty difficult for someone like him to do.
I mean with that philosophy, why would any of the outgoing players play in a meaningless bowl game. I mean hell I wouldn’t want a bum knee messing with me while walking around as a 60yr old obtained during a toilet bowl game. You signed a scholarship to play. Fulfill that obligation. If not, pay back your last year scholarship money.
The only game that I think was COMPLETELY meaningless was when Ga Tech refused to let Cumberland College (Tenn) not play them after dropping football, so Cumberland fielded a team of intramural players----and lost 221 to 0.
Can't they get insurance? Say a few million, how many hundreds of millions do you need? Haven't you played hundreds of games without debilitating injuries before you reached this point? How long before high school seniors opt out?
I just cannot understand why human beings do not see the slope IS slippery. Even after slipping down the slope and crawling back up only to slip again, we just cannot see it. Passivity to life is the end of life. And far too many people just don’t look deep enough because of this.
If you’re not meant to be in the NFL, you won’t be. We have turned from faith and completely decided we can control everything around us. If you’re meant to be in the NFL, you will be. If you’re not, you won’t be, and sitting out won’t stop that.
The Bowl games are you championship. And if we accept sitting for one eventually you will have guys sitting for many more. People have got to start calling this was it is and pushback at these ideas. It’s quitting, nothing less.
There is absolutely no logic in Will playing a game against Georgia but not our bowl game. We have no real shot at beating Georgia, but we can win our bowl and get a ring. Eventually this logic is going to catch up to us because, as an example, Will has a much higher likelihood of getting hurt in conference against a juggernaut than our bowl. If you’re going to sit out, why not sit Georgia and play the bowl?
These decisions are not logical and what needs to happen is the bowl scene needs to dry up. And I think it might eventually.
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That’s the insanity here. Almost zero players have ever had a CAREER ending injury keeping them from getting drafted and succeeding at the next level. It just doesn’t really happen in bowl games. Has it happened? I can think of one, and maybe there are a few more. But severe injuries that will crush your nfl career are almost never seen.
Play the game, if you’re not supposed to be in the NFL you won’t be. It doesn’t matter if you avoid it in the game. If you’re not meant to be there something else will happen to prevents it. This is where we’re really falling short in this country today.
