One of the best running backs to ever suit up at Stanford has played his last snap for the Cardinal. Bryce Love will not play in the Sun Bowl to focus on getting healthy after a second straight season struggling through an ankle injury.

Stanford head coach David Shaw announced the news Monday after practice, along with an index card full of names of players who also will not play in the game. Love also posted a note on his Instagram account.

He wrote: "I'm just a kid from Wake Forest and since the moment I stepped foot on campus, Stanford has meant the world to me. I will cherish the memories I've made both as a student and an athlete for all my life."

Love explained he is sitting out the bowl game to be "completely healthy and prepared for the 2019 NFL draft".

It's two days until the two-year anniversary of Christian McCaffrey's decision to not play in the 2016 Sun Bowl and instead prepare for the NFL draft. That news sparked outrage from many Cardinal fans. McCaffrey made a tough call to protect himself from injury. He was one of the first college players to publicly say he would not play in a bowl game he was healthy enough to play in. It sparked a fierce debate about loyalty, the right of amateur student-athletes to protect themselves on the eve of a payday and even the bowl system in general.

McCaffrey made the decision not to play about two weeks after a press conference was held for him to publicly declare he was leaving Stanford early to pursue his NFL dream. Shaw, athletic director Bernard Muir and others were in attendance. Shaw praised McCaffrey for what he meant to the program.

Love's impact on Stanford was in the same category as McCaffrey from the standpoint of individual accomplishment and his character.

The reaction to Love not playing in the Sun Bowl is significantly different. It was clear to everyone who watched that Love is not 100 percent and he's battled a severe ankle injury each of the past two seasons.

Love's Heisman runner-up season last year was historic because of what he accomplished with more runs of at least 50 yards than anyone who had ever played. And it was remarkable that for about half of the season he played on one ankle. Before he was injured against Oregon last year he was on track to challenge Barry Sanders' single season rushing record of 2,628 yards.

Love's 2017 season will long be remembered by Stanford fans as one of most incredible in school history.

Love was limited this season due to the injury and a run game and run blocking scheme/strategy that suffered for a number of reasons. The Cardinal could never get the rushing attack going and eventually made the decision to lean on the unit's strength, its passing game.

Still, Love finished with 3,865 career rushing yards, 30 touchdowns and 6.8 yards per carry.

Shaw referenced an index card to make sure he remembered all the players who will miss the Sun Bowl or are doubtful to play.

Nate Herbig's inclusion was noteworthy, though, because Shaw said Herbig is not injured. Shaw would not explain what is keeping Herbig from playing but the right guard was not at practice.

"I had a great conversation with Nate the other day," Shaw said Monday afternoon. "He's good. He's going to be fine."

When asked if Herbig was turning pro, Shaw said: "That's not for me to say."

Herbig missed multiple games this season and the official explanation was due to injury. It's reasonable to cast some doubt on that explanation given what was said Monday.

Redshirt sophomore Dylan Powell will start in Herbig's place and he performed well this season when Herbig missed games.

"Really pleased with the way Dylan has played the last couple of games," said offensive coordinator Tavita Pritchard. "He's a guy who has been on campus for a while and he's worked extremely hard to be in a place where he can play. When he's gotten opportunities he's done a great job of going in and executing. We expect him to do that in the bowl game."

Sophomore left tackle Walker Little also will be out for the Sun Bowl. Junior Devery Hamilton will start in his place. Little has likely been playing hurt most of the season. He wore a brace on his left shoulder after the UC Davis game. After the Notre Dame game he was fantastic is pass protection.

Sophomore tackle Foster Sarell did not practice today and may be a game-week decision, Shaw said. Henry Hattis is practicing at both tackle spots to back up Hamilton and right tackle A.T. Hall. The only other healthy tackle at the moment is walk-on Grant Pease, who has produced some positive buzz from practices this year.

"He's a good football player," Pritchard said of Pease. "He's a guy who understands leverage, hand play and hand fighting. He's done a really good job of picking up the system and being a guy who we feel is not far away from being able to go in there and hold his own."

Starting wide receiver Trent Irwin is out as well and was wearing a full brace on his left leg when he attended Stanford's women's basketball game Saturday. Freshman Michael Wilson will start in his place.

Cornerback/nickel Alameen Murphy and starting defensive end Dyland Jackson will not play.

Tight end and Mackey Award finalist Kaden Smith is doubtful and will be evaluated closer to the Dec. 31 game.

The injury report has been alarming most of the season and even going back to training camp. Shaw did not feel anything needs to be changed to prevent a repeat next year.

"I don't believe in fate. I don't believe in bad luck. I do believe sometimes the pendulum swings. We've been one of the healthier teams in college football for 10 years. Sometimes you have one of these years. These are not tweaks of hamstrings, etc. We've ankles and shoulders, and broken fingers and broken hands. These are all contact issues that happen in this game. We just happen to have a bunch of them happen in one year.

"Glass half full, we've had a lot of guys who have had to go out and play that it was great to get them out there. A lot of guys got a lot of time. A lot of freshmen came in and really helped save our season ... just to get in there when we had a couple guys banged up. The negatives have been plentiful, but our team has responded at every turn."