Monday’s football: Stanford’s McCaffrey won’t play in Sun Bowl
Running back Christian McCaffrey is done playing college football even though Stanford has one more game.
McCaffrey wants to prepare for the draft and said on Twitter Monday he will not play in the Sun Bowl. The No. 16 Cardinal (9-3) face North Carolina (8-4) on Dec. 30 in El Paso, Texas.
“Very tough decision, but I have decided not to play in the Sun Bowl so I can begin my draft prep immediately,” McCaffrey said.
Stanford receiver Trenton Irwin posted on Twitter: “The whole team supports @CMccaffrey5 in everything and anything. Hes been a leader to this team through the easy times and tough times.”
McCaffrey is the second prominent player to make such a decision for the same reason. LSU running back Leonard Fournette has said he will not play in the Citrus Bowl.
“I would do anything to play one more time with my brothers in that scarlet and gray,” Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott posted on Twitter about players sitting out bowl games.
McCaffrey said last month he would be skipping his senior season to enter the NFL draft. He was the Heisman Trophy runner-up in 2015 as a sophomore when he set the NCAA record for all-purpose yards in a season.
“For three years Christian has not only been a great player, but a great teammate as well,” Stanford coach David Shaw said in a statement. “We wish him great success at the next level, as we continue our preparation for the Sun Bowl.”
With McCaffrey gone, Bryce Love will likely get most of the carries for Stanford against North Carolina. Love, a sophomore from Wake Forest, North Carolina, ran for 664 yards and 7.4 per carry this season. He had 129 yards and a touchdown against Notre Dame, when McCaffrey was out.
“They’re not going to change what they do,” North Carolina coach Larry Fedora said about Stanford.
“They’re going to run the ball and pound it at you and play-action pass you.”
Extra points
Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher signed a two-year contract extension, which will carry him through the 2024 season.
Fisher is in his seventh season at Florida State and has a 77-17 record. According to the terms of the contract released by the school, Fisher will earn an annual salary of at least $5.5 million beginning next season.
The slight increase places him in the top five among the highest paid college football coaches, according to USA Today’s coaching salary database.
... Former Minnesota coach Jerry Kill has been named Rutgers offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Kill will replace Drew Mehringer, who left after one season to join Tom Herman’s staff at Texas.