LSU Football: How Terrace Marshall Jr showed his true character this week

LSU football wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr will not return to the team this season.

LSU football junior wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr announced on Sunday that he’s opting out of the rest of the 2020 season so he can enter the 2021 NFL Draft.

Marshall, who caught 48 passes for 731 yards and ten touchdowns in seven games this season, is expected to be one of the top wide receivers available in next year’s draft (after, of course, his former teammate Ja’Marr Chase, who also opted out of the 2020 season).

I don’t blame Marshall at all for his decision to opt out.

In fact, I think it was a wise choice by the wide receiver. He has nothing to gain by staying at LSU for a few more games, and everything to lose.

What impressed me about Marshall’s decision, however, is how he approached it.

LSU football wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr showed his true character this week

I’m sure there are some fans who will give Marshall some grief over his decision — that’s just how it goes in college football.

But I think everyone should have a ton of respect for Marshall, simply because of how he handled the decision (which I would call a business decision).

Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron said on Monday that Marshall came to his office and talked to him “like a man” about the decision (via Brooks Kubena).

“He explained his decision, I respected his decision,” said Orgeron.

It would’ve been easy for Marshall to send a text and quietly leave LSU.

Instead, Marshall, who is arguably the team’s best offensive player, talked to his coach in person. He did the right thing, which probably wasn’t easy.

Marshall should be commended for how he handled his opt out. It says a lot about who he is as a player and as a person.

Some NFL team is going to be really lucky to draft Marshall next spring.