Big Announcement - Lazard staying put...

why on earth do student athletes make public announcements that they are staying in school?

It might have been the idea of the athletic department/football staff to generate a little publicity buzz. AL might not have been behind it.
 
I'll be that guy...why on earth do student athletes make public announcements that they are staying in school?

Professional aspirations and talent or not, attending a university for 4 years (5 with a redshirt) and working towards a degree while exhausting your 4 years of athletic eligibility is the stated purpose and presumed intent of being an athlete on scholarship.

Keep working hard, and feel free to let the public know only if/when you decide to choose an alternate course for your college career (transferring, early draft entry, etc...).
The press will keep asking the question until you put a definitive stake in the sand that you are definitely staying. Might as well announce it and put out a press release so they (maybe) quit asking you the question.
 
The press will keep asking the question until you put a definitive stake in the sand that you are definitely staying. Might as well announce it and put out a press release so they (maybe) quit asking you the question.
Agree, but I doubt this will stop the local media.
 
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Because it was public knowledge they were considering other options.
The only public knowledge I've seen is local reporters blindly speculating to generate page clicks. Lazard, or any athlete for that matter, can just continue ignoring/laughing at such speculation.
 
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It might have been the idea of the athletic department/football staff to generate a little publicity buzz. AL might not have been behind it.
You do bring up a very good possibility. His letter was on some pretty fancy looking university stationary. Perhaps the letter was even spritzed with some Cyclone cologne?
 
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Great news; I really thought he was gone.

For you experts; can a receiver like AL, or for that matter any player, really improve their speed and 40-yd dash time over the course of a year? Or is this more of an inherent talent??
 
I don't think it's going to be his 40 time that matters as much as much as his top end speed in games. I can recall a handful of times where he had nothing but green in front of him and he got caught from behind.

Guys can run a slow 40 time and have it overlooked if they've shown they can outrun defenders in pads. He has yet to do that. I posted this in another thread, but I think a fair NFL comp for him right now is a poor man's Kelvin Benjamin. Big, strong receiver with a great catch radius and ability to win most jump balls. Not great top end speed but pretty good running in traffic due to his size and ability to break tackles.

But whatever. I'm just happy to have him back in Ames for one more year. He's a special college player. Time will tell on his pro prospects, and I'm glad to wait one more year before we find out.
 
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I don't think it's going to be his 40 time that matters as much as much as his top end speed in games. I can recall a handful of times where he had nothing but green in front of him and he got caught from behind.

Guys can run a slow 40 time and have it overlooked if they've shown they can outrun defenders in pads. He has yet to do that. I posted this in another thread, but I think a fair NFL comp for him right now is a poor man's Kelvin Benjamin. Big, strong receiver with a great catch radius and ability to win most jump balls. Not great top end speed but pretty good running in traffic due to his size and ability to break tackles.

But whatever. I'm just happy to have him back in Ames for one more year. He's a special college player. Time will tell on his pro prospects, and I'm glad to wait one more year before we find out.

Kelvin Benjamin is probably the best comparison I can think of
 
I really think he is going to dominate next year as long as he stays healthy. There were about 3-4 games where he was playing but really just out there. I think finally against OSU he got back to about 80% and finally 100% against KSU after he got hurt in the Iowa game. He probably would have put up close to 1300 yards and 9-10 TD's if he didn't get hurt.

Plus Jones will just get better and the other improving receivers teams won't be able to double him. Also Park will have another year in with him. The ceiling is very high.
 
Another young WR in the NFL who is (relatively) slow is Laquon Treadwell. Lazard is bigger than Treadwell, and I think Lazard is slower than him too. But Treadwell was a first round pick despite his speed because of his other qualities. If Lazard can get a little faster and have a great season next year with good route running and great catching, he will be drafted.
True. But Treadwell has MUCH better hands. AL's proclivity to drop balls is going to hold him back nearly as much as his 40 time.
 
When was the serious conversation about AL leaving early? Did I miss something?

He's a great player, but come on. Did he have to announce something that everyone in the country knew was going to happen?

Otherwise Randy P would have asked if he was transferring.