Jim Mora on Bowl Opt Outs
Several Tar Heel players, including running backs Michael Carter and Javonte Williams, receiver Dyami Brown and linebacker Chazz Surratt, opted out of the team’s Orange Bowl trip this past season, to prepare for the NFL Draft. It’s something that is becoming more and more common with NFL hopefuls in college football.
Former NFL and college coach Jim Mora, who will be breaking down UNC’s draft prospects over the next few days, discussed both sides of this issue.
“I have mixed emotions about it,” he said. “When I look at the trend from a coaching standpoint or a college fan standpoint or a player on the team of the players who are opting out standpoint, I think it sounds very selfish and self-serving.”
On the other hand…
“From a player standpoint, it’s a business decision,” he added. “It’s become big business. College football players have realized their power. They’re realized they’re easily discarded by teams, by schools, if they’re not performing. They realize how important it is for them to optimize their opportunities at the next level.”
“It doesn’t surprise me,” he said. “Is it bothersome? Yeah. I want to see great players play. I want to see great teams whole at the end of their season.”
Mora also felt for the situation Mack Brown was put in.
“It’s an undue and tough burden on the head coach to have to publicly support the moves,” he said. “In recruiting, anything you say can and will be used against you. If Mack were to come out and chastise young men for abandoning their team, inevitably, his recruiting opponents will come out against that. ‘He doesn’t want to see them get to the NFL. He’s selfish. He just wants them to develop him and get him a contract extension, which we all know is the farthest thing from what Mack wanted.”
“To me, it just causes me grief,” he concluded. “I’m glad I don’t have to deal with that right now. I see it from both sides.”
