Steve Sarkisian opens up on Texas players opting out of bowl game

A common trend in college football as of late is players electing not to play in bowl games. Some college head coaches have spoken out and voiced their displeasure with players who have chosen to do this in an attempt to protect their NFL draft status. Recently Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian opened up on players opting out of bowl games, revealing his unique perspective on the situation.

“I think it’s a reality. I hate it for them that they have to make that choice,” said Sarkisian. “Because the reality is that’s a great opportunity. You get to celebrate with your team. You’ve earned that; you’ve done well enough in the regular season to earn the right to play in a bowl game and have that experience. And to get forced with a decision like that, I hate it for them.

“The reality is, all of them, deep down, want to play. They want to play with their teammates, and now all of a sudden, they’re getting into; well, how could this affect me moving forward. For some guys, they should play. It’s an opportunity to play against a good opponent. It’s an opportunity to put their film on tape one more time to get evaluated by the NFL. For other guys, maybe it is in their best interest not to play. There’s risk and reward and all this.”

As witnessed in previous drafts, an injury in a bowl game can mean all the difference between being a top-ten pick and falling to the second day of the draft. And that fall could have significant financial ramifications for the players.

Sarkisian tries to provide his players with wisdom on their opt-out decision

These kinds of decisions are not easy. Some players see the importance of making it to the next level and how it could benefit their families and generations to come yeah. So Sarkisian makes it a point to give his players the best guidance possible.

“I try to have candid conversations with all of them individually to hopefully come to really good decisions. But, like I said, I hate it for them. I wish we could ensure everybody that, if something were to happen, you’d be taken care of. Unfortunately, that’s not the case for every single player.”

This topic could be a point of interest in the upcoming weeks as Longhorn star running back Bijan Robinson is viewed as the best running back prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft. And with how volatile draft selections can be surrounding his position, if he chooses to declare for the draft, he could very well choose to opt-out of the Longhorns bowl game. But given the comments made by Sarkisian is likely he will sit down with his star and help him make the best possible decision for himself.