Maybe the most surprising thing about the announcement that LSU wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr is leaving the Tigers team is the reaction - or, rather, lack of - coming from the state's legions of die hard Purple and Gold faithful.

Marshall, who Sunday told one and all that he is taking advantage of the NCAA's "opt-out" COVID clause, will certainly be one of the most coveted receivers in the NFL draft next spring.

But why did Marshall decide, seven games into the year, to up and quit? It's a move that he, without a doubt, wouldn't have made if the Tigers were undefeated and in the hunt for another SEC or national championship.

Nope. The reason - and it's probably a wise one - that Marshall is abandoning Baton Rouge with games left to play is...because his team sucks.

it's been a disappointing season for Coach Ed Orgeron's boys and Marshall can see the (golden) writing the wall. Why stick around two or three more games and risk getting hurt? Why run those pass patterns for another few weeks when there's nobody at quarterback who can throw a decent ball? Why give-it-all-you-got when all you'll probably get is sorry statistics that can only hurt your standing in the eyes of NFL scouts?

There's no question, from a financial standpoint, that Parkway High grad Marshall is making the right choice. But what is more than a little surprising is the indifference - no, make that understanding - that he's receiving from so many Bengal backers across the state.

But, on the other hand, when you have so many Tigers fans who are, every season, ready to give up on their team after one or two losses, why is it a shock that they don't care if their best player decides to pack it in after four?

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