Kirk Herbstreit: "I think this era of player just doesn't love football"

It's a trend that started with guys on teams out of the national title hunt like Christian McCaffrey and Leonard Fournette opting to not participate in their bowl games. Every bowl season since we've seen high profile players opt out of their bowl games when not participating in the College Football.

The topic is as divisive as any topic out there in college football. 

On one hand are folks that believe players should be able to protect their draft stock by sitting out of their post season game.

Then there are others that think the decisions by college kids to sit out are ruining the bowl experience, and if bowl games outside the playoff are meaningless than why aren't players out of the playoff race also sitting out of those week 8 games against the bottom teams in their conference?

Today, with the College GameDay crew on set at the Rose Bowl, Kirk Herbstreit ruffled some feathers with his take on the situation while talking about how guys like him and fellow host Desmond Howard would embrace playing in these "meaningless" bowl games without hesitation.

"I just don't understand if you don't make it to The Playoff, how is it 'meaningless' to play football. Isn't that what we do as football players, is we compete? I don't know that expanding it is changing anything. I really don't."

"I think this era of player just doesn't love football."

That's quite the hot take if you ask me.

Since we happen to have the most passionate following of high school and college coaches, I found these comments from Herbstreit worth passing along for some discussion.

Thoughts?Update >>

UPDATE >> Herbstreit has issued (somewhat of) a clarification and apology.