'19 MO RB Kyren Williams (Notre Dame Signee)

[phork]

Kyren is my new favorite ND player and I don't blame him or any other player for sitting out meaningless bowl games. Bowl games now are just entertainment. If you aren't in the playoff then it doesn't matter. Hamilton and Williams, I believe, would have played in a playoff game.

 

[NDPhilly]

That isn’t the example you mentioned and was a COVID year. Nobody did it prior and nobody did it this year.

James Wiseman did this at Memphis just 2 years ago. It's naive to think that this doesn't spread any further than Bowl Games. A decade ago, thinking a 3rd round pick would sit out a BCS game would have been major news.

 

[BobbyMac]

Sucks but I saw Jaylon go down in the same building right in front of me.

I'd be much saltier if the Bayou Bomber, the Tidewater Tornado and the Jumbo Jersey Juggernaut weren't guaranteed to post 250 APY's on the poor G6 team.

Wish we had one more run but such is not our fate.

 

[Dale]

James Wiseman did this at Memphis just 2 years ago. It's naive to think that this doesn't spread any further than Bowl Games. A decade ago, thinking a 3rd round pick would sit out a BCS game would have been major news.

Sooooo not a football player. You’re just bringing up things that aren’t what you said and now in a different sport. Lol.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Probably wouldn’t. But it still could have. That’s the difference. You sit out a game because you think they’ll win and they don’t you cost your team the playoff. You sit out the fiesta bowl, it doesn’t cost the team the playoff.

I guess that works. But that seems like an awfully weak nail to hang this all on. Having uninjured captains unilaterally deciding which games are OK for them to skip would be toxic to a healthy locker room culture.

 

[NDPhilly]

Part of this too is probably Oklahoma State's defense. Opponents have average 2.7ypc against OSU all season and they have FEI's #2 overall defense. Not likely that any running back is able to help themselves against a D like that.

 

[irishff1014]

Kyren is my new favorite ND player and I don't blame him or any other player for sitting out meaningless bowl games. Bowl games now are just entertainment. If you aren't in the playoff then it doesn't matter. Hamilton and Williams, I believe, would have played in a playoff game.

Last time i checked they still paid pretty nice so this would be a false statement.

 

[benneboy]

We were in the hunt for the Playoff before this. Now we aren’t. I’m sure Kyren’s own teammates approve of the decision and none would call it quitting.

Get yours Kyren.

Skipping the bowl game is a term they used to curb the impression of what they are actually doing. Quitting the team to prep for the NFL.

I'm an ND fan, not an 'X player fan'. He made a decision that is better for him and worse for ND. Just like when Kelly left for LSU, he felt it was in his best interest... our interests are no longer aligned.

If it was my kid I'd probably give him the same advice he got. He's not and cut the only tie I have to him. Thanks for the time, but I'm not patting any of these kids on the back on the way out when they choose themselves over the only thing that had me rooting for them in the first place.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

If ND drops games to OSU and UNC in September next year, is Foskey justified in sitting out the rest of the year? I would argue this coming game with OSU is more important than any game following that scenario.

No, because he'll be on a NFL roster next September

 

[irishff1014]

He probably hired an agent who told him to declare and skip the bowl to minimize risk. Hard to imagine Kyren deciding to do this on his own.

And he is listening to an agent who only cares about how much money he will make. Ironic huh?

 

[NDPhilly]

Sooooo not a football player. You’re just bringing up things that aren’t what you said and now in a different sport. Lol.

The point is that while it hasn't become prevalent yet in football, it is almost inevitable with our current thinking about Bowl Games. Once games that "don't matter" become devalued, it is easy to see how late season regular season games between teams outside the top 10 will be devalued as well.

Imagine being Pitt right now - Kenny Pickett may sit out Pitt's Peach Bowl game, probably the program's most important game in decades. Does that game not matter because they are not contending for a NC? If that's the thinking, he could have shut it down weeks ago as Pitt never was in the running for a title.

Kyren is probably my favorite ND player ever. His passion for the game and running style were a joy to watch. I don't fault hit for sitting out, just worried about what this does long term for the sport.

 

[Dale]

The point is that while it hasn't become prevalent yet in football, it is almost inevitable with our current thinking about Bowl Games. Once games that "don't matter" become devalued, it is easy to see how late season regular season games between teams outside the top 10 will be devalued as well.

Imagine being Pitt right now - Kenny Pickett may sit out Pitt's Peach Bowl game, probably the program's most important game in decades. Does that game not matter because they are not contending for a NC? If that's the thinking, he could have shut it down weeks ago as Pitt never was in the running for a title.

Kyren is probably my favorite ND player ever. His passion for the game and running style were a joy to watch. I don't fault hit for sitting out, just worried about what this does long term for the sport.

If ND doesn’t make the expanded playoff in the future, I would be very much okay with anyone opting out of some bowl that isn’t the expanded playoff. So the future already includes less meaningful bowls, regardless of opt out.

 

[IrishLax]

Very disappointed. This is a major bowl game and to have a healthy captain skipping it deemphasizes its importance to everyone on the team. College football is on a very dangerous path right now between “playoffs of bust” mentality + being able to hire agents while still in school + immediate transfer eligibility. The sport will be unrecognizable in 3 years or less.

We’re dangerously close to “pay me $X of NIL money to play in this game or I’m going to sit.”

I say all of this as a HUGE Kyren Williams fan - amazing effort and energy, classic lead by example guy. So if your lead by example guy doesn’t give a shit about a NY6 game then why should anyone else?

 

[IrishLax]

The point is that while it hasn't become prevalent yet in football, it is almost inevitable with our current thinking about Bowl Games. Once games that "don't matter" become devalued, it is easy to see how late season regular season games between teams outside the top 10 will be devalued as well.

Imagine being Pitt right now - Kenny Pickett may sit out Pitt's Peach Bowl game, probably the program's most important game in decades. Does that game not matter because they are not contending for a NC? If that's the thinking, he could have shut it down weeks ago as Pitt never was in the running for a title.

Kyren is probably my favorite ND player ever. His passion for the game and running style were a joy to watch. I don't fault hit for sitting out, just worried about what this does long term for the sport.

Said it better than I did.

 

[ND88]

With his position coach being Lance Taylor, it’s safe to say what advice he was likely given based on other backs in the league plagued with injury. I can understand his desire to want to strike while he is healthy. It’s the smart money decision. Disappointing for us as fans in the sense we lose his toughness on field in a bowl game we need to win, but understandable. Life has too many competing forces, and it’s tough to navigate.

 

[IrishLax]

No, because he'll be on a NFL roster next September

Alright then what about, for example, Michael Mayer?

 

[Dale]

The Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl are likely semi or quarter finals in the future. Opt outs won’t ruin the future of bowls. The people deciding the bowls are already doing that. These theoretical games in the future would be likely a non-Top 12 ND team playing in like the Cheez It or Alamo Bowl.

 

[Trait Expectations]

Hope to see the playoffs expanded to reduce how much this happens on good teams but....


Good luck Kyren! I'm certain you'll be a great ambassador for ND!

And the bonus to this is our other backs get 10-15 practices and will all see snaps in this game. Tyree, Diggs and Estime will all get some burn and be that much hungrier for the offseason/next fall.

We lose Kyren no matter what, may as well see what we have with those three moving forward.

 

[T Town Tommy]

Maybe bowl games will revert back to the way they were - an opportunity to have extra practices and get live reps for next year’s team.

I wish Williams well and hope he makes it at the next level. I would rather see him playing in the bowl game but it’s an opportunity for others to step up and play.

 

[GATTACA!]

Skipping the bowl game is a term they used to curb the impression of what they are actually doing. Quitting the team to prep for the NFL.

I'm an ND fan, not an 'X player fan'. He made a decision that is better for him and worse for ND. Just like when Kelly left for LSU, he felt it was in his best interest... our interests are no longer aligned.

If it was my kid I'd probably give him the same advice he got. He's not and cut the only tie I have to him. Thanks for the time, but I'm not patting any of these kids on the back on the way out when they choose themselves over the only thing that had me rooting for them in the first place.

I’d argue Kyren having a nice 6-8 year NFL career and enticing more RB recruits to consider ND is better for the program than risking him blowing out his knee in an ultimately pointless bowl game. Diggs, Tyree, and Estime can use the work anyways.

 

[IrishLax]

I’m also interested to see what Olave/Wilson decide for the Rose Bowl compared to players from Oklahoma State and Utah. I have a theory that players from “small time” colleges that aren’t selling “come win a national championship” will have much greater participation in NY6 bowl games from their NFL caliber players.

 

[NDRock]

It’s tough. Everyone seems to have their own standard on this. If KW had been banged up but still playing, would he be ok with skipping the game? I’m not going to worry about guys skipping early season games until it actually happens.

Also, things change. Bowl games used to not matter at all. In fact, Notre Dame as a University used to sit them out completely. Now a bowl game against OKS is the most important game of the year.

This thing reminds me of reading about guys in war (yes, not the same). You’d read how guys got very nervous near the end of a tour. Nobody wanted to die anytime but it seemed worse when you were close to getting out. Same mentality here. Kid is close to hitting the lottery. He’s obviously worried about that all disappearing because of some Taylor Decker bullshit. Best of luck to him. Time for someone else to step up.

 

[NDdomer2]

I’m also interested to see what Olave/Wilson decide for the Rose Bowl compared to players from Oklahoma State and Utah. I have a theory that players from “small time” colleges that aren’t selling “come win a national championship” will have much greater participation in NY6 bowl games from their NFL caliber players.

you would think. So ND needs to find the best college players that arent NFL level talent, dont care about NIL, and value education. Should be fun future for us.

 

[pumpdog20]

I’m also interested to see what Olave/Wilson decide for the Rose Bowl compared to players from Oklahoma State and Utah. I have a theory that players from “small time” colleges that aren’t selling “come win a national championship” will have much greater participation in NY6 bowl games from their NFL caliber players.

Plus, Ok State first time ever facing ND. Their players aren't skipping that, even for a "meaningless" bowl game.

 

[GoldenAura]

Hot take, Wish they would kick the kids off the team when they do this. Would never happen, but are you really on the team if you refuse to play in the games?

*Awful take*

 

[phork]

Last time i checked they still paid pretty nice so this would be a false statement.

No its not. Not from a players perspective. Career ended by a freak accident in a meaningless bowl game? Sorry. You don't get a split of the bowl proceeds.

 

[calvegas04]

He was soooo close to being called a true Notre Dame man

 

[irishff1014]

No its not. Not from a players perspective. Career ended by a freak accident in a meaningless bowl game? Sorry. You don't get a split of the bowl proceeds.

Did he or did he not have the training opportunities along with man other features that were funded by bowl money? So others made it possible KW to have nice equipment to advance their talents. So yes it does help the players coming after him just like he was helped.

 

[ryno 24]

Good for Kyren! Go get your money

 

[NDRock]

Alright then what about, for example, Michael Mayer?

Too far. For me, what KW is doing is understandable. Interesting that nobody talks about him skipping an entire senior season. What's better, a guy who plays 3 years and the bowl or a guy who comes back for his senior season but then skips a bowl?