Oregon defensive lineman Arik Armstead has decided to quit basketball in order to focus solely on football, he announced on Tuesday.
“While I will certainly miss playing basketball with my teammates, I have decided to focus my full attention on academics and being the best football player for the University of Oregon that I can possibly be,” said Armstead.
The five-star lineman from the class of 2012 has been a bit underwhelming in his first two seasons as a football player with the Ducks, totaling 41 tackles with five tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. However, at 6-foot-8, 290 pounds and blessed with tremendous athleticism for his size, he has the potential to have a breakout junior season in 2014.
Ironically, Armstead’s decision comes just a couple days after he scored his first points as a redshirt freshman college basketball player for the Ducks:
Despite these baskets, it’s probably a smart move for Armstead to give up hoops since he has the potential to be a high NFL draft pick in a year or two.