Clowney Ouchies: Tactics or Trouble?

Steve Spurrier said it best: "Any time a player says he's hurt, can't play, who are we to question? He doesn't play."

But the real issue is this: does Jadevion Clowney want to play?

Spurrier gave as politicaly correct of an answer as he'll ever give, one with a touch of snarky sarcasm but still maintaining a touch of tongue-in-cheek respect.

We, however, don't have to do that.

All we remember is the hit heard 'round the world, so loudly that Clowney won an Espy.

Since that time, all we've talked about is what will Clowney's final season at South Carolina be like?

Would Clowney sit out  to stay healthy for the 2014 NFL Draft? Clowney responded with a definite "No," but his play -- or lack of it -- may be telling another story. Maybe he started thinking seriously about his future and didnt want his college career to end like that of another Gamecock great, Marcus Lattimore.

Maybe the media is reading too much into all this and a healthy Clowney would be better later in the schedule. Why take the chance of  losing Clowney  to Kentucky  when there are much harder games coming up? Better safe than sorry, I always say. But it seems that Spurrier isn't too fond of his star defender's priorities.

Personally , its hard for me to believe that Clowney  is milking his injury. Remember, he has had both shoulder and bone spur issues, too.

It's a roll of the die for Clowney and other good college athetes. Play and risk getting hurt or sit out and have professional teams question your durability and/or work ethic?

The game only gets faster at the next level. Clowney isn't doing himself any favors if he thinks playing sparingly now will help him get a big contract later, especially as NFL teams don't need to guarantee them.

And right now, he's not guaranteeing them very much in return, either.

Click on a photo to enlarge.