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NEW ORLEANS — Matt Corral craved extra yards, and he wasn’t going to let some 6-foot-3, 237-pound linebacker cease him from getting them.
So, the Ole Miss quarterback lowered his shoulder and barreled over Baylor’s Matt Jones amid a 15-yard run to maneuver the chains on fourth down in the course of the first quarter of Saturday’s Sugar Bowl.
4 performs later, Corral crawled on the sector in anguish after struggling a proper leg harm whereas getting sacked. His school profession was completed.
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MATT CORRAL INJURY: Exhibits why school soccer gamers choose out of bowl video games
Corral spent the subsequent three quarters supporting his teammates from the sideline on crutches as he watched the No. 8 Rebels (10-3) lose 21-7 to No. 6 Baylor (12-2) on the Superdome.
Corral’s harm coupled with Baylor’s relentless move rush and three interceptions neutered an offense that ranked among the many nation’s finest. The character of Corral’s harm and whether or not it’ll have an effect on his first-round NFL Draft inventory is unclear, however coach Lane Kiffin stated an X-ray on Corral’s harm got here again damaging.
All through Corral’s remaining school season, Ole Miss’ man of moxie provided the strongest wind within the Rebels’ sails. He looks as if a hard-nosed, football-loving man who cares for his teammates.
Corral debunks the recent take provided Saturday morning by ESPN’s star analyst Kirk Herbstreit, who got here off as a grump when he bemoaned that “this period of participant simply doesn’t love soccer,” whereas he opined by the lens of bowl-game opt-outs.
What metric is Herbstreit utilizing to measure his declare? Did he ballot gamers’ love of the sport in 1991 and once more in 2021?
Herbstreit, a former Ohio State quarterback, elaborated that some gamers nonetheless have ardour for the sport, however not as many as in his day. He cited distractions and video video games for clouding gamers’ ardour. I suppose Herbstreit by no means performed Tecmo Tremendous Bowl.
Herbstreit’s finger-shaking referred to as for an “OK, Boomer” retort, besides that Herbstreit is a member of Era X. Herbie hasn’t even hit his curmudgeonly prime.
Herbstreit and fellow analyst Desmond Howard stated bowls meant extra to gamers of their period. Nicely, positive. There was no nationwide championship sport or School Soccer Playoff in that period. Bowl video games had been the season’s crowning end. Now, the CFP is. Herbstreit’s employer spends the season hyping up the playoff at each flip.
The children didn’t change the system. The game’s powerbrokers did, whereas seeing greenback indicators.
School soccer gamers all through the nation have opted out of bowl video games that had been devalued by the playoff’s arrival in growing numbers since operating backs Leonard Fournette of LSU and Christian McCaffrey of Stanford began the development within the 2016 season. Additionally that season, Michigan tight finish Jake Butt tore his anterior cruciate ligament within the Orange Bowl. Butt’s draft inventory suffered. Taking part in in a bowl literally value him cash.
This development of bowl sport opt-outs isn’t proof of gamers not loving the sport. These are enterprise selections rising from a sport that grew into huge enterprise.
Saying gamers on this period don’t love soccer rings hole when you think about how a lot work is required to be a Division I soccer participant these days. Video games are seasonal, however coaching, conditioning and preparation are a year-round endeavor. Gamers spend almost the complete yr on campus honing their craft. Highway video games are characterised as enterprise journeys.
I’m not advocating for bowl sport opt-outs – or towards them. That’s a choice every NFL-bound participant should weigh. I love Corral’s alternative, which he characterised as a no brainer, to play within the Sugar Bowl.
“I positively wouldn’t have been on this place if it wasn’t for (my teammates),” Corral stated earlier than the Sugar Bowl. “I’m not simply going to depart. … I’m going to offer these guys every thing I’ve bought ‘til it’s over.”
After Corral joined the sideline on crutches within the second quarter, nonetheless sporting his turf-stained uniform pants, a number of teammates came to visit to supply handshakes and hugs.
“He brings a number of juice to the group and a number of pleasure and a number of hope,” Ole Miss linebacker Likelihood Campbell stated of his teammate after the loss.
Corral was no sideline statue, both. He sought out his alternative, Luke Altmyer, for session after possessions.
When Altmyer threw a 37-yard landing to Braylon Sanders within the third quarter, Corral motored a number of yards down the sideline on his crutches so he may very well be among the many first to congratulate Altmyer.
That second was as pure as any from Herbstreit’s day.
Blake Toppmeyer is an SEC Columnist for the USA TODAY Community. E-mail him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and comply with him on Twitter @btoppmeyer.
This text initially appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: Matt Corral’s ardour, harm debunk Kirk Herbstreit’s unhealthy take
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