League plagued by injuries

To say this college football season has been odd would be an understatement. An injured UCLA linebacker Myles Jack withdrew from school last week so he could declare early for the NFL draft. Jack suffered a season-ending injury the week of the UCLA-Arizona game in Tucson. 

Jack could be a “pioneer” of sorts for other young, stud athletes who dominate college football and are looking to get paid as soon as possible. 

The most notable examples of who could follow Jack are Georgia running back Nick Chubb and LSU standout Leonard Fournette. Both are sophomores and Fournette is arguably the best player in the country right now.

Chubb suffered a knee injury Saturday during Georgia’s game against Tennessee. According to ESPN, the injury did not do any damage to his ACL, but it is likely that Chubb’s season is over. 

How quickly Chubb is able to return from injury could determine what he does next season.

Jack’s decision to withdraw adds a new dynamic to college football that we are more accustomed to seeing in basketball. A crop of freshmen enters college, dominates for a year and then bolts for the NBA and the opportunity of getting paid. 

As a fan, nobody wants to see these players leave early. Watching Fournette play unstoppable football is a treat. Jack, though a common Arizona foe, was a monster on the field. He played offense and defense and excelled at both. His injury was one of the most unfortunate happenings of this season. 

When next season rolls around, the college football world wants to continue to watch Fournette dominate, but there is always the possibility that he will decide to take next year easy so he avoids injury.

I understand why Jack left UCLA early. He’s eligible for the NFL and he’s currently going through recovery for a serious knee injury. Before his injury, he was likely going to be an early first-round pick. Jack was another player who seemed NFL ready early in his career, so his announcement wasn’t the most surprising. With nothing to really prove to the college football world anymore, his departing makes sense. 

Most college football fans don’t want to see Jack’s action become the norm. The college game is currently at a very high level and there are teams from all over the country who are good enough to compete for a national championship. It’s no longer an SEC-run league. The Big Ten, Pac-12 Conference and ACC are starting to catch up to the Southeast. 

Jack’s decision to completely withdraw from school might be a controversial strategy, but it is undoubtedly a topic that will be discussed for a while as younger players continue to dominate the college ranks.

Steve Spurrier retires

South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier announced his resignation Monday night. Spurrier, 70, was a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback at the University of Florida back in his playing days. 

Spurrier is one of the most successful college football coaches, having won one national championship at Florida, and became the all-time wins leader at both Florida and South Carolina.

Spurrier’s most recent success with South Carolina added to the SEC’s depth. He helped turn South Carolina into a dominant program that churned out NFL players such as Jadeveon Clowney and Alshon Jeffery. Currently, South Carolina sits with an 2-4 record and 0-4 conference record.

Coach Spurrier was a college football legend, and the game will forever miss the presence of its “Head Ball Coach.”

Florida’s quarterback

More controversy hit college football Monday when University of Florida quarterback Will Grier was suspended for one year after he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Grier has led the resurgence of the No. 8 Gators. Florida is currently 6-0 with a 4-0 SEC record and has a huge game on the horizon at No. 6 LSU. 

Grier currently has a 65.8 percent completion percentage, while throwing for 1,204 yards and 10 touchdowns. His most notable game was his four-touchdown performance against Ole Miss, where the Gators upset the Rebels 38-10.

Grier’s presence will undoubtedly be missed by the Gators for the rest of the season. They have a new spark under new head coach Jim McElwain, who was non-existent with Will Muschamp over the past couple of seasons.

Take a breather, college football fans; Saturday is bound to bring us more craziness.

Follow Kyle Hansen on Twitter.