UCF defensive coordinator Randy Shannon: NFL teams will question players skipping bowl games
By Andrew Olson
Published:
LSU enters its Fiesta Bowl clash against UCF with a long list of absences. Some players are hurt (CB Kristian Fulton) or disciplined (CB Kelvin Joseph), but CB Greedy Williams and NG Ed Alexander are voluntarily skipping the game to focus on the 2019 NFL Draft.
Knights defensive coordinator Randy Shannon doesn’t think they’re doing themselves any favors.
“My opinion, it probably will fester more and more in college. And then now the NFL is going to have to make a decision,” Shannon told ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss. “If you draft a young man that leaves early and now you’re not a playoff team, that young man [is] going to say, ‘I’m not going to play.’ Same situation. Right, wrong or indifferent.”
Shannon pointed to the fact that NFL teams will expect players to suit up and give their best effort even if the team is out of playoff contention.
“If a team is 6-9, no chance of them making the playoffs, are they going to play or are they going to tank it?” Shannon said. “Especially if you’re on the last year of your contract, option year.”
Shannon’s Knights face LSU on Jan. 1.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
