Kirk Herbstreit clarifies position, reveals hope for players opting-out

Kirk Herbstreit caught a lot of flack for publicly questioning whether today’s college football players love football. In an appearance on Pardon My Take, Herbstreit clarified his stance on the matter.

“I can completely appreciate that, and I think if you would’ve heard the conversation I don’t think you would’ve felt we said all kids who opt-out don’t love football. Boom. Period. It really wasn’t that kind of vibe at all,” stated Herbstreit. “It was more just – I think as fans of the game – just wow, look where we’re headed.

“My whole point was this — why is a bowl game meaningless? If you’re Brock Bowers, or if you’re Will Anderson .. there’s two different lanes as a college football player. One lane is I’m here for three years, whoever can get me to the NFL faster. That’s my goal. And you know what? You’re entitled to that view. More power to you. I wish you all the best from the bottom of my heart. I hope you make generational wealth. But if you’re in that lane, why would you not only not play in the bowl game — why would you play in the entire season? I think that’s where we’re going.

“We’re focused on they skip a meaningless bowl game .. why stop there? If it’s all about the endgame – which is getting to the NFL – pull a Micah Parsons. Ja’Marr Chase. If the goal was to get there, skip your entire third year. Go to Phoenix — go train, stay healthy. That was my point in that segment. I don’t get skipping a bowl game. If it’s about saving myself from a meaningless bowl game, skip yourself from the whole season.”

Herbstreit: ‘I care about players. I care about kids.’

Continuing, Herbstreit examined the other side of the coin. While players like Parsons and Chase can afford to miss the entire season, most players don’t have that luxury.

“I don’t agree with it, because here’s why — because I care about players. I care about kids,” stated Herbstreit. “Even though people are saying I’m this guy that hates players. Furthest from the truth. I love players. And I look at these players like my kids. I’m not related to them in any way, or have relationships with many of them, but I really honestly do care about them. I’ve seen so many kids – you guys focus on the kids who become Ja’Marr Chase – but you don’t see the guys I see. Who end up having those same dreams as Ja’Marr Chase, but didn’t make it. They opted out of whatever, or declare early. They never make the NFL.

“.. Have those same dreams. Have those same goals. But at the same time, you have no idea what opportunity if you go to Madison. Or Columbus. Ann Arbor. Austin, Texas. Go chase that NFL dream. But in the meantime, get your degree. Meet people. Have relationships. Be courteous, be humble. Treat people well. And when you go play the NFL for five years or seven years and you don’t have generational wealth, or let’s say you don’t make it to the NFL. You bust a knee, or whatever happens — you have this to fall back on. Relationships. And those schools will take care of you forever.”

‘That’s what breaks my heart man.’

In closing, Kirk Herbstreit made a final plea to players thinking about opting-out and skipping bowl games.

“98% of these guys aren’t making it. So that’s what breaks my heart man,” stated Herbstreit. “We focus on Ja’Marr Chase and Micah Parsons, and we don’t focus on the 98% of guys that I care about, and want them to have something to fall back on if they don’t make it. So that’s why I get kind of passionate, kind of fired up about this topic.

“Because it’s not as simple as go chase the money. Sometimes that doesn’t always work out. And I wish they had a backup plan. That’s all.”