John Michael Schmitz, Minnesota’s star center and one of the best offensive linemen in the country, made a surprising announcement Thursday afternoon.

Just about 45 minutes before kickoff of the Pinstripe Bowl, Schmitz announced that he would “Respectfully” be opting out of the bowl game to focus on the Senior Bowl NFL Draft.

Schmitz was injured in last season’s bowl game and wants to prepare for the Senior Bowl next month before entering the draft. With that in mind, it’s hard to blame Schmitz for being careful.

Schmitz was named an All-American for his play this season and was a finalist for the Rimington Award, granted to the top center in college football.

Backup center Nathan Boe is expected to get the starting nod against Syracuse. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. EST at Yankee Stadium in New York. The game will be aired on ESPN.