Michigan’s Maurice Hurst briefly explains why he’s not sitting out Outback Bowl

DT Maurice Hurst will be playing for Michigan against South Carolina in the Outback Bowl on Monday. This is news in 2017, because players now sometimes sit out non-Playoff bowls to avoid injuries that could damage their draft stocks.

Hurst explained his decision to reporters on Friday:

“It was from myself, the person I’ve always been. football has always offered so much to me, so it felt like the right decision.”

Further explanation:

“It’s another opportunity for me to get to play.”

That it is. Hurst is a senior, so this is going to be his final college football game. While TE Jake Butt’s decision to play in Michigan’s bowl game last year where he ultimately suffered a knee injury that severely damaged his draft stock, Hurst’s decision wasn’t so straightforward.

“I would tell him to play,” Dan Shonka, a former NFL scout and current general manager of Ourlads.com told Land of 10. “I understand he saw with Jake Butt, what happened to Jake last year. But you know what? I would recommend Mo play with his teammates at Michigan and again, put on a show for people and help his draft stock. Because you know what? If you don’t do anything, you know, you’re static.”

Michigan and South Carolina kick off at noon ET on Jan 1.