Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Cook says he’s going to play in the Orange Bowl
TALLAHASSEE — Dalvin Cook will not join Leonard Fournette or Christian McCaffrey on the sidelines.
Cook, Florida State’s star running back, will play in what could be the final college football game of his career when No. 11 FSU (9-3) faces No. 6 Michigan (10-2) in the Orange Bowl in Dec. 30.
Jimbo Fisher nodded his head in agreement Tuesday when asked if he would be “stunned” if Cook asked if he could sit out the Seminoles’ season finale.
“Actually, I would be [stunned,]” Fisher said. “I would be.”
With LSU’s Fournette and Stanford’s McCaffrey publically announcing their choices to skip their bowl games to get a head start on NFL draft preparation, the debate on whether college football players should play or sit in the final games before the draft has garnered national attention.
Dallas Cowboys rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott, who left Ohio State after his junior season in 2015, took to Twitter Monday to say his last game in college was one of the most memorable moments of his career.
“[It’s] one last time to honor your university and one last chance to play with your boys who will be your brothers for life,” Elliott said. “And there is a difference between not coming back for your last year and not finishing your last season.”
ESPN college football analyst, radio host and former FSU quarterback Danny Kanell, while recognizing the topic is a complicated issue, said the players should take a team-first approach.
“I hate this trend of players bailing on their teammates for bowl game, but I get it,” Kanell posted on Twitter Monday. “Of course this move will be applauded by most because we live in “me first” culture now. The days of playing for your team sadly going away.”
ESPN personality and former NFL receiver Cris Carter said the issue is far different from coaches leaving for other jobs before the bowl games. He added he would not trade his bowl game experiences at Ohio State for a more beneficial outcome in the draft.
“You’re really backing out on your teammates, and you’re not enhancing your draft status,” Carter said on Colin Cowherd’s radio show.
“You think Fournette is going to be able to catch the ball out of the backfield between now and the draft? No! He’s going to run the ball between the tackles exactly like how he’s been doing the last three years.”
Both Fournette and McCaffrey have been in and out of the lineup this season battling injuries that could have flared up again in a bowl game.
McCaffrey announced his move on social media, while Fournette posted a photo of himself with his daughter Tuesday with the caption: “only person I owe something too ..... ”