Heupel Discusses Possibility Of Opt-Outs for Tennessee's Orange Bowl Matchup With Clemson

With No. 7 Clemson and No. 6 Tennessee set to face off in the Orange Bowl later this month, Volunteers' head coach Josh Heupel was asked about the possibility of any of his players choosing to opt-out.

Opting out of bowl games has become a common theme in recent years, as players look to avoid injury before heading off to the NFL.

With No. 7 Clemson and No. 6 Tennessee set to face off in the Orange Bowl later this month, Volunteers' head coach Josh Heupel was asked about the possibility of any of his players choosing to sit out of the matchup. While he is expecting most of his team to play, he's also preparing for any potential opt-outs.

"I certainly expect most of our guys to be there," Heupel said. "There's guys that are still gaining information, guys that were nicked up on the back half of the season, that got to see where they get to here over the coming days and make a smart, educated decision for them and their future."

One player on the Tennessee roster worth keeping an eye on is WR Jalin Hyatt, who could forgo his senior season in favor of entering the NFL Draft. Hyatt, a South Carolina native, did not receive an offer from Clemson coming out of high school.

Despite the disappointment of failing to make the College Football Playoff, Heupel knows this is still a big game for his program. The Orange Bowl will be Tennessee's first appearance in a New Years Six bowl game, and Heupel is hopeful the allure of playing in that type of atmosphere will appeal to most of the players in the locker room.

"This is a special football game," Heupel said. "This is important to our program. It's important to our players inside of the locker room. Certainly, I believe we'll have a majority if not a full roster when we get down there for it."

"This is a historic, iconic game. A lot of these guys have grown up in an era of watching the importance of this football game. I know I grew up in that as well. This is a special opportunity. You're going to have the entire country watching this football game when this is slotted here on TV. It's a special opportunity, a special moment, and a memory that you'll have forever."

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