The way that it usually goes in college football these days is that once a team sees which bowl game they are going to play in at the end of the year, the next few weeks are littered with players who project to play at the next level announcing that they will opt-out of the bowl game and instead prepare for their future.
It’s hard to knock them for making that decision. Unless you are playing in a New Year’s Six Bowl or the College Football Playoff, then it’s easy to view a bowl game as nothing more than a glamorized exhibition. For a lot of players who project to make millions of dollars playing on Sunday, that may look like an opportunity to get injured and hurt potential draft stock. This often makes bowl games feel meaningless, with many teams playing without some of their best players.
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For the Oregon Ducks, however, it seems that there is some positivity on the front of potential opt-outs. We know that cornerback Christian Gonzalez is declaring for the NFL Draft and not planning to play, and the same is expected for DE D.J. Johnson. However, aside from those two, the Ducks may be in the clear.
“The landscape continues to change right now, but I don’t anticipate any others,” Oregon head coach Dan Lanning said on Sunday night. “But that being said, you know, things can change and we’ll be ready. Whoever’s ready to go step on the field. We’ll make sure we have 11 out there on the field ready to go and compete.”
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Lanning also confirmed on Sunday night that QB Bo Nix is planning to play in the bowl game, which alludes strongly to the fact that he will return for another season with the Ducks in 2023. However, what does it mean about LB Noah Sewell, or DL Brandon Dorlus? Both of them were expected to head to the NFL next season, but if they stick around and play in the bowl game, will that mean they are staying in Eugene for another year?
It’s impossible to say right now, and as Lanning said, there are still some opt-outs that could come over the next few days and weeks. However, the fact that Oregon’s head coach had some optimism on this front is great news for the Ducks.
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