You might be surprised to know that I actually have familiarity with a number of programs around the country, while simultaneously being a dum s**t from west Texas.
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Do NU Players Have to Go to Class?
- Thread starter skerBob
- Start date
You might be surprised to know that I actually have familiarity with a number of programs around the country, while simultaneously being a dum s**t from west Texas.
I'm not saying that that doesn't happen, but I don't think that it's nearly as prevalent nationwide as you're implying. You can look at graduation rates for athletes at various schools and get a pretty good idea of how much they care about their student-athletes. As a general rule universities in the SEC, ACC, and the state of Texas don't have a great track record, though that doesn't account for Vanderbilt, Duke, or Rice, who have held a reputation of maintaining high academic standards, regardless. (Is there another D-1 university in the state of Texas that cares about its athletes graduating besides Rice?) The B1G and the PAC have traditionally been at the other extreme. It's possible that you're living in Texas and my living in SD have given both of us extreme perspectives.
This thread is about NU. Your statement that college athletes are given no support after they become useful is not reflective of Nebraska.
Rice isn't competitive because they actually apply their stated admissions standards to athletes, and good for them for doing so.
Of course graduation rates of college athletes are high. Many of these athletes are hand-held all the way through their 4 years with thousands of hours of personal tutoring to help them manage through. The athletes have their own concierge-like study centers and personal assistance at their whim. They are not treated like regular students in any way. The schools care about passing their student athletes so that the university looks good and the athletes can participate in the ball game this Saturday.
Universities have created a "school within a school" for the jocks. You have the jock university, and the university for the paying customers. Two different things.
You can see that with the various schools completely skirting their own admissions standards so that they can get a good athlete. As an example, the University of Texas is very difficult to get into. Even if you're in the top 10 percent of your class, it's iffy. Here is a blurb from UT as to their SAT requirements:
The University of Texas at Austin typically requires applicants to be in the top 13 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1290 on a 1600 scale, below which admission should be considered a reach. We estimate some students could be accepted with SAT's as low as 1180.
Yet a high school friend of my son's was magically admitted with a 990.
That's because he's a good athlete. Not surprisingly, he's handling his course work just fine, thank you very much UT!
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I do not buy the cynicism you suggest ... At schools like Nebraska yes - first and foremost SF et al want you eligible ... but they also have a plethora of advisers, counselors and academic support groups who's sole responsibility is to support the academic needs of the student-athletes.
SF insists that you go to classes - its rumored that is one of the MW's issues. But he (SF) does want his players to graduate. I believe him when he expresses a sincerity towards the welfare of his players.
At smaller schools - say South Dakota State for example - they do not necessarily have the infrastructure Nebraska has but their coaches are directly engaged with the student athletes.
At some point in time there is personal responsibility of the student to take the classes he/she wants/needs to take ... to cast a wide brush and say Fred Hoiberg/Scott Frost/John Cook .. don't care two farts about developing anything is likely just wrong.
I’m not being cynical. There’s no bigger college football fan than me. But let’s not be silly here and suggest that big time athletes at football and basketball power houses are subject to the same academic rigors as regular students. That’s laughable. Most of the players standing on the sidelines wouldn’t have the academic credentials to even sniff the admissions office of a flagship state university.
They are carried through the system with vast resources so that they stay eligible. The university can ill afford for some prized recruit to flunk out. It can’t and won’t happen - the university will see to it.
As you said: “...they also have a plethora of advisers, counselors and academic support groups who's sole responsibility is to support the academic needs of the student-athletes.” I think that tells you all you need to know.
This is quasi-pro sports. Let’s just enjoy it for what it is and not argue that which is obvious.
They are carried through the system with vast resources so that they stay eligible. The university can ill afford for some prized recruit to flunk out. It can’t and won’t happen - the university will see to it.
As you said: “...they also have a plethora of advisers, counselors and academic support groups who's sole responsibility is to support the academic needs of the student-athletes.” I think that tells you all you need to know.
This is quasi-pro sports. Let’s just enjoy it for what it is and not argue that which is obvious.
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You must be from Texas.
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So true. Back in the day, coaches like Devaney had to worry about the kids maintaining eligibility. Guys like JR would take Pass/Fail classes and"sports related" classes. No coaches worried about missing classes, or making Academic AA type grades...what they worried about was whether guys could stay eligible. Coaches have almost no worries there anymore.
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