Recruiting mistakes = opting out

Like not recruiting the best options because they might skip a meaningless bowl game down the line?

Or not recruiting a 5 star that says they plan to get to the NFL ASAP?

I don't think a coach is going to be able to ascertain at 17 if a kid is going to be a first round pick and opt out of a meaningless bowl. Even if they could, they'd probably take him anyway. While I don't like opt-outs from a fan perspective, they're good business decisions for some of these kids.

A society/media who has acted like it's personally fine = opting out.

They should be called and treated for what they are - quitters.

I really don't have any problem with these guys opting out of a meaningless bowl game. Especially a guy like Toney who has been a warrior all season. Go make your money young man! You have served this team well. I think Trask should have opted out also. We really need to look at the bowl games more like spring games to get ready for the next year.

Opting out is a function of amateurism and financial analysis of an individual athlete. It has become more common because the CFP clearly signaled that bowls are second-class exhibitions but it was not uncommon before the playoffs. I think the way it gets reported now is more direct whereas in the past you just found out the young man wasn’t playing when the team showed up to the bowl site. That is probably a function of social media.

The “fix” for opting out is compensation for appearing in these exhibitions. If the NY6 bowls via Disney/ESPN established a big pot of player compensation money, I imagine opt-outs in these bigger bowl games would significantly diminish. How much is it worth it to ESPN that they get a Cotton Bowl with Pitts and Toney playing? I bet parting with 10k+ per player on each roster - hell maybe even up to 25k/player - might be worth it when compared to the increased value to advertisers.

Has the opt out really been a huge problem before this COVID year?

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So basically then your take on life is, "To hell with my commitments and obligations. I owe nothing to anybody but myself."

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I have no clue how you got that out of my post about recruiting the best players even if getting to the NFL is a priority

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As a military veteran, I'm glad the guys I served with didn't think like you.

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Because recruiting football players based on whether they might leave early for the NFL is the same as serving in the military

Thank you for serving but don’t be so ridiculous

Yep. Pay them for a bowl game. Winning players get more than the losers. That would liven up the bowl season. Call it a “stipend” so the amateur elitists don’t get their jimmies rustled.