J.T. Barrett on sitting out bowl games: I'm not afraid of being injured
Christian McCaffrey and Leonard Fournette have sparked quite the debate.
The two college football stars have opted to sit out of their final collegiate contest, wanting to avoid any injuries that could happen by playing this postseason. McCaffrey will sit out of Stanford’s game against North Carolina in the Hyundai Bowl and Fournette will forego the Citrus Bowl against Louisville.
Since those decisions, college coaches, pro scouts and other players have been asked to give their thoughts on the matter. Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett was one of those players asked to answer that question.
It doesn’t sound like the quarterback plans to abandon his team anytime soon based on his interview with The Columbus Dispatch:
I think it’s to each his own. Me personally, I’m not a person who is afraid of being injured. I think that’s what you sign up for when you play football. That can happen at any time.
I don’t try to live in the world where, ‘If I didn’t do this, this wouldn’t happen,’ because you’d drive yourself crazy.
Barrett’s answer isn’t that surprising, as the Buckeyes are battling in the second College Football Playoff in three seasons. Ohio State almost-always lands in a significant New Years Six bowl that rightfully has plenty of implications on the line.
And Barrett is no stranger to injury, either. In 2014, he was injured late in Ohio State’s season finale against Michigan, missing the final three games as Cardale Jones stepped in and led the Buckeyes to a national title.
There may not be a right or wrong answer to players sitting out of bowl games. But for Barrett, it doesn’t appear that missing a game with his teammates is ever going to be an option.