While Jim Harbaugh wants college football to happen this fall, one of his players is opting out.
Michigan running back Christian Turner made the announcement Tuesday afternoon in a post on social media platform Twitter, citing COVID-19 concerns as the reason.
Under health guidelines from the NCAA and Big Ten, Turner will remain on scholarship and eligible to continue his education.
Turner, of Buford, Ga., is the first known Wolverines player to opt out of the 2020 Big Ten season, which could be on canceled as soon as today. Conference presidents and chancellors were reportedly scheduled to meet this morning to discuss the 10-game fall schedule.
MORE: Frustrated U-M players want Big Ten ‘to figure it out’
Whether this affects Turner’s eligibility remains a question mark. He was set to enter his redshirt sophomore season (he played in just three games in 2018, his freshman year) this fall, with two more years of college eligibility left.
Last year, Turner appeared in 10 games while rushing for 171 yards and a touchdown. He was in the mix for playing time at running back early on, before on-field struggles and injury hampered that.
Should Michigan play this fall, and that remains uncertain, Turner’s absence would not be a particularly major blow to the running back room. The Wolverines return their two top rushers from 2019, Zach Charbonnet and Hassan Haskins, and welcome back senior Chris Evans.
Running back, in fact, is expected to be a strength of the offense, which has open competitions at quarterback and at several positions along the offensive line.
More than a dozen players from the Big Ten have taken the option to opt-out due to the novel coronavirus, including star receivers Rashod Bateman (Minnesota) and Rondale Moore (Purdue), and Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons.
Michigan State already has three players who have said they will not play.
Turner’s decision comes as players across the country went public with a “We Want To Play” campaign Monday on social media to convince conference commissioners and school presidents to continue with a fall season.
This is just a reminder that there other players out there having second thoughts.
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