Alabama Football: Najee Harris becomes national leader for a CFB season

Alabama football star, Najee Harris joins influential group of players trying to save the season.

Influential players, including Alabama football running back, Najee Harris are aggressively ‘opting-in’ for a 2020 CFB season.

Credited as leaders of the player group are Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, Ohio State’s Justin Fields and Alabama football star, Najee Harris.

Their goals are much greater than playing a 2020 football season. In fact, one of the bullets in the tweet above is to respect the decisions of players choosing to ‘opt-out.’

Reported by ESPN, the small group of players turned into dozens in a matter of hours. There were players from every Power Five conference. The players are careful to stress unity rather than being divisive. Their goals, if accomplished, would change college football forever. They want to create a CFB Players Association and if they are successful, it would certainly lead to associations for players from other college sports.

Stanford defensive lineman, Dylan Boles said,

"The beautiful thing is now we’re all on the same page. We made history tonight."

ESPN listed other high-profile players involved as “Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard, Oregon’s Penei Sewell, Johnny Johnson III, Jevon Holland and Kayvon Thibodeaux, Utah’s Nick Ford, Washington State’s Dallas Hobbs and Michigan’s Hunter Reynolds.”

Michigan Wolverine, Hunter Reynolds stated,

"There’s been a sense that this is something groundbreaking and something we feel is long overdue. I guess now it’s finally being done."

The next step for the players’ group is to meet with NCAA and officials from each Power Five conference. The group’s bold idea of a Players Association will not be an impediment to the more immediate goal of a 2020 regular season. The greatest goal is, as the players stated, “ultimately,” is a Players Association. If successful, the leadership coming from the players for a 2020 season, could become a foundation for the longer, even harder task of changing college sports.

Some may claim the players are largely motivated by playing the 2020 season. No doubt, that motivation is strong. However, many players from Alabama football and other elite programs will play football again. If the college season is canceled, their next games will be in the NFL. Najee Harris is one who could be content in not taking the risk of a final college season.

The players deserve credit for providing a framework for effective leadership. College football, by structural design, has fragmented leadership. With no one group or entity in charge, perhaps the players can fill some of the leadership void.

It is interesting Najee has not been a vocal leader during his football career. He has led by example, rather than being outspoken.