Zach Pickens gone; Why even play this bowl game

[uscwatson21]

Your fantasy is to see us lose. Sorry you were disappointed this year and will be next also. Sucks to be you

It's a shame you won't show back up if we do lose next year. I'm at least here to watch you guys gloat too soon.

 

[Robhawk29]

There isn't one person commenting on here who wouldn't take the money and move on. These guys have made the investment to get where they are and see an opportunity to be rewarded for it. Don't blame them, blame the system. They are just getting what's available to them. Just a fun fact, Alabama had 12 players enter the portal and probably somewhere between 4-6 more opting for the NFL. And that doesn't include the ones graduating. Money has totally changed the face of college football.

 

[ToddFlanders]

Trying Pro, only for some. Some of those in the portal were walk-ons. Some have a lot of college eligibility left, e.g. Corey Rucker. He has proven anything and feel sure he is not on any pro radar. Maybe they just think the grass is greener

I'm sure he was told he'd be used as a centerpiece - which I feel any school would promise as he's certainly an NFL-type talent. I'm also sure that USC told him that, but at this point I wouldn't trust that promise.

As for the grass being greener, some crazy percentage of portal entries never find another school to play for - which makes me think a lot of these guys are using the portal to quit football. It's a hail mary that someplace "perfect" may pick them up - but I think they know that place doesn't exist and so they move on from the sport.

 

[Forever Fowl]

ND will be without a ton of players including their starting QB. Who knows it could turn out to be a decent game.

 

[Neanderthal]

As for the grass being greener, some crazy percentage of portal entries never find another school to play for - which makes me think a lot of these guys are using the portal to quit football. It's a hail mary that someplace "perfect" may pick them up - but I think they know that place doesn't exist and so they move on from the sport.

That’s an angle that never crossed my mind. Good point.

 

[section907]

That’s an angle that never crossed my mind. Good point.

True. Plus. I know a guys son that had pretty good regional offers from HS. Chose an ACC school and entered the portal after not seeing the field much in 2 years. - he didn’t get picked up and now playing for a hometown D2 school. I’m guessing many end up at local smaller schools playing with old HS teammates.

 

[hahnenkampf]

Zach Pickens is now gone also

Will we even have a team to field vs ND?

The lack of loyalty/commitment is so foreign to me

I say end the post-season non BCS Bowls and re-create them as preseason Classic games.

 

[Bucs90]

Till you get a career ending injury and your NFL career is over. There is also a difference between applauding and understanding. You can bet your sweet ass that If the player was my son, it would be my suggestion to not risk your career for an exhibition game. It’s just not a smart business or life decision.

Would you have let him play vs Clemson? How is playing Clemson any different than Notre Dame? Why even play after you have 4-5 great games to show film to NFL teams?

 

[Bucs90]

True. Plus. I know a guys son that had pretty good regional offers from HS. Chose an ACC school and entered the portal after not seeing the field much in 2 years. - he didn’t get picked up and now playing for a hometown D2 school. I’m guessing many end up at local smaller schools playing with old HS teammates.

About 50% of portal guys end up nowhere at all.

 

[Bucs90]

I'm laughing at all the folks calling these players selfish with no sense of self-awareness. You want them to care about your feel good and perception of them more than their own careers. Who's the one actually being selfish. Miss me with the "other guys in the locker nonsense. They don't care. They would all do the same thing. if they were in the same position.

You think the others dont care? That they dont care if their last game ever is a win over Notre Dame vs a loss? I promise you they care and losing a guy that can help them win that final game sucks.

 

[FORKCOCK]

Players getting a head start in their lives doesn’t bother me in the least. Most would if given the opportunity. Keep in mind that with players sitting out others get a chance to play. Put me in the meaningless bowl category.

Sellouts, no loyalty to the school or teammates.

Getting a scholarship was getting a headstart.

These kids aren't heroes.

 

[Boom4life]

Would you have let him play vs Clemson? How is playing Clemson any different than Notre Dame? Why even play after you have 4-5 great games to show film to NFL teams?

Sure would have because one is during the season and one is a meaningless bowl game where he has nothing to gain.

I wouldn’t tell him to play if he was transferring. That would put him at a severe disadvantage with the deadline mid January.

 

[uscdoc]

The players are now seeing that ND game as a loss and are bailing ship to not be a part of it. This is why Beamer gave that speech in the upper deck in camp. Its wild how players do this, I’ll never understand it

It's $ talking and the allure of the NFL. The only calming aspect of it all is that all programs will suffer from it-including the bluebloods. Why in the world would anyone not die to play on national TV against those gold helmets! Answer: $$.

 

[bigplay86]

Beamer still has work to do installing the culture he envisions. To me this is a culture issue where the players are not fully vested in us as a university. I may be wrong...

Most P5 scholarship players in the transfer portal so far in this 2022-23 cycle

1. Texas A&M 24 2. Florida 22 3. Arkansas 21 4. Arizona 20 5. Miami 18

Average among P5 so far is 10.4 entries per school.

This is not a culture issue....this is an NCAA issue that will not be resolved until the NIL is capped and/or the transfer portal issues are resolved. Revert back to the old transfer rules!

 

[ElectricalCock89]

Who in the world told Jalen Brooks to go Pro? Jesus LOL

 

[Bucs90]

Sure would have because one is during the season and one is a meaningless bowl game where he has nothing to gain.

I wouldn’t tell him to play if he was transferring. That would put him at a severe disadvantage with the deadline mid January.

Both are equally meaningless and do nothing for him more than the other. Beating Clemson is only a meaningless pride thing mostly for fans. What did he gain by risking injury vs Clemson? In fact as a rival, they might play dirty making it even riskier. Perhaps all South Carolina pro prospects need to opt out of future Clemson games. 2004 showed how dangerous it is.

 

[adcoop]

Who in the world told Jalen Brooks to go Pro? Jesus LOL

The guy is like 24 years old. You have to try your hand at the pros at some point. Remaining in school just because others think you are not good enough is just delaying what you need to find out for yourself after five years in college.

 

[GarnetBlood80]

Even with the transfers, Bamas top players still stayed to play in bowl game. And those are 1st round or so players. We have guys leaving early for a hopeful free agent try out! Outside of 1 or 2, at the most, all our guys opting out are 6-7th rounders, if they're lucky

 

[tngamecock#]

There isn't one person commenting on here who wouldn't take the money and move on. These guys have made the investment to get where they are and see an opportunity to be rewarded for it. Don't blame them, blame the system. They are just getting what's available to them. Just a fun fact, Alabama had 12 players enter the portal and probably somewhere between 4-6 more opting for the NFL. And that doesn't include the ones graduating. Money has totally changed the face of college football.

Uhhh which bama are you talking about…their stars played

 

[tngamecock#]

Would you have let him play vs Clemson? How is playing Clemson any different than Notre Dame? Why even play after you have 4-5 great games to show film to NFL teams?

For that matter….let’s have our kids skip their hs state championship so they don’t miss a dime of nil money

 

[ElectricalCock89]

Even with the transfers, Bamas top players still stayed to play in bowl game. And those are 1st round or so players. We have guys leaving early for a hopeful free agent try out! Outside of 1 or 2, at the most, all our guys opting out are 6-7th rounders, if they're lucky

Cough cough wonnum

 

[Forever Fowl]

I wonder how these opt out players will look back on their decision 20 years from now?

For most of us the college years were the best years of our lives.

 

[Neanderthal]

Why even play this game? You play for the love of the game. If you looking at the money you are no different than the rest of the world.

 

[adcoop]

I wonder how these opt out players will look back on their decision 20 years from now?

For most of us the college years were the best years of our lives.

Most of these kids received 3-4 years of a college experience. I don't think one game in Jacksonville is going to be some life altering experience. Sometimes fans, on the outside looking in, take their fandom a little too seriously and forget that Gamecock football is not the end all, be all of life. I would further go on to say that it is better that they leave or declare for the draft if that is where their mind is. It is better for them and better for us. I would want a player that is 100% fully invested than a star that is 60% in playing not to get hurt.

 

[GarnetBlood80]

Cough cough wonnum

That's why I said "1 or 2 guys". Even still, he won't get drafted higher than the Bama 1st round guys who played in their bowl game.

 

[Bucs90]

I wonder how these opt out players will look back on their decision 20 years from now?

For most of us the college years were the best years of our lives.

They’ll probably regret it forever. I played FCS and we had a great WR skip his senior year bc he had people filling his head saying he’d get drafted. Now he was a GREAT FCS reciever, but it was FCS, and he only got a brief free agent tryout in the NFL, never made a roster, never played another game. I wondered if he regrets missing 12 more college games that he’ll never get back

 

[Bucs90]

Most of these kids received 3-4 years of a college experience. I don't think one game in Jacksonville is going to be some life altering experience. Sometimes fans, on the outside looking in, take their fandom a little too seriously and forget that Gamecock football is not the end all, be all of life. I would further go on to say that it is better that they leave or declare for the draft if that is where their mind is. It is better for them and better for us. I would want a player that is 100% fully invested than a star that is 60% in playing not to get hurt.

“100% fully invested”

Imagine being an NFL coach, wanted to draft a player who is going to be “100% invested”……seeing him bail on his team right before a program changing game vs Notre Dame. Then seeing a player like Alabamas kids, who are 1st rounders, but are so invested that they stayed to play Kansas St in a non playoff game.

Easy choice