August 28, 2008

Minny freshmen.... not so s-m-r-t?

Minnesota head coach Tim Brewster scored a huge coup with this year's recruiting class. The Gophers posted a top twenty recruiting class for the first time in... like... ever... nabbing 31 signees, including seven juco transfers.

But now -- in the wake of acacemic eligibility issues concerning several recruits, including class headliner MarQueis Gray -- questions are being asked about the Brewster's first full recruiting class. More directly, has Coach Brewster sacraficed academics at Minnesota?

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune is digging deeper, initiating a Freedom of Information Act to determine the ACT test scores of the incoming freshman classes in the Big 10. It's finding? Minnesota's freshman class had the lowest test scores of any of the conference schools.

Minnesota's freshman class had the lowest scores among the eight Big Ten programs that complied with the request, and the scores were significantly lower than for the recruiting classes in the final years of Glen Mason, who coached the Gophers from 1997 to 2006.

The test score data does not include Minnesota's seven junior college signees -- an unusually high number -- that school officials said represent a greater academic risk than the incoming freshmen. Six of the seven JC signees were non-qualifiers academically after graduating from high school -- lower grades and test scores disqualified them from receiving an athletic scholarship directly after graduating from high school.

"I think we know from the beginning, by looking at the numbers, that we have some academically disadvantaged and challenged kids," Minnesota athletic director Joel Maturi said in an interview discussing the data in late July. "There's no question [about it]. ... But we believe we have the necessary support to allow them to be successful, or they wouldn't be here."

All of this comes at a very awkward time for the Gophers, who are set to debut a new on-campus stadium in 2009. Which begs the question - are the Gophers taking shortcuts in an attempt to put team on the field that will sell tickets?

Said Maturi: "When you're 1-11, you know, you put yourself in a position where your [talent] pool is not as great. That's just reality."

Minny has already lost juco transfer Tim McGee and recruit Vince Hill did not qualify. Meanwhile Spencer Reeves is being held out of practice - along with Gray - because of questions about his eligibility from the NCAA.

"We know statistically that junior college kids don't always succeed academically, and that's our biggest concern," he said. "Our coach knows that, and our staff knows that. But I think the reality is that when you're 1-11, you're looking for some immediate improvement in certain positions."

Immediate improvement? Minnesota hasn't been to a New Year's Day bowl since 1962, the longest stretch in the Big 10, according to the Star-Tribune. The Gophers finished at or near the bottom of the Big 10 in the NCAA's APR reports for the last two seasons, escaping NCAA sanctions by two index points this past year.

I don't know how many academic hardship cases its going to take to right that ship, but it sounds like Brewer is not afraid to find out.

Posted by Kevin Donahue

Comments:

Minny freshmen.... not so s-m-r-t?
Minnesota head coach Tim Brewster scored a huge coup with this year's recruiting class. The Gophers posted a top twenty recruiting class for the first time in... like... ever... nabbing 31 signees, including seven juco transfers. But now -- in the wake of acacemic eligibility issues concerning several recruits, including class headliner MarQueis Gray -- questions are being asked about the Brewster's first full recruiting class. More directly, has Coach Brewster sacraficed academics at Minnesota? The Minneapolis Star-Tribune is digging deeper, initiating a Freedom of Information Act to determine the ACT test scores of the incoming freshman classes in the Big 10. It's finding? Minnesota's freshman class had the lowest test scores of any of the conference schools.
Minnesota's freshman class had the lowest scores among the eight Big Ten programs that complied with the request, and the scores were significantly lower than for the recruiting classes in the final years of Glen Mason, who coached the Gophers from 1997 to 2006. The test score data does not include Minnesota's seven junior college signees -- an unusually high number -- that school officials said represent a greater academic risk than the incoming freshmen. Six of the seven JC signees were non-qualifiers academically after graduating from high school -- lower grades and test scores disqualified them from receiving an athletic scholarship directly after graduating from high school. "I think we know from the beginning, by looking at the numbers, that we have some academically disadvantaged and challenged kids," Minnesota athletic director Joel Maturi said in an interview discussing the data in late July. "There's no question [about it]. ... But we believe we have the necessary support to allow them to be successful, or they wouldn't be here."
All of this comes at a very awkward time for the Gophers, who are set to debut a new on-campus stadium in 2009. Which begs the question - are the Gophers taking shortcuts in an attempt to put team on the field that will sell tickets?
Said Maturi: "When you're 1-11, you know, you put yourself in a position where your [talent] pool is not as great. That's just reality."
Minny has already lost juco transfer Tim McGee and recruit Vince Hill did not qualify. Meanwhile Spencer Reeves is being held out of practice - along with Gray - because of questions about his eligibility from the NCAA.
"We know statistically that junior college kids don't always succeed academically, and that's our biggest concern," he said. "Our coach knows that, and our staff knows that. But I think the reality is that when you're 1-11, you're looking for some immediate improvement in certain positions."
Immediate improvement? Minnesota hasn't been to a New Year's Day bowl since 1962, the longest stretch in the Big 10, according to the Star-Tribune. The Gophers finished at or near the bottom of the Big 10 in the NCAA's APR reports for the last two seasons, escaping NCAA sanctions by two index points this past year. I don't know how many academic hardship cases its going to take to right that ship, but it sounds like Brewer is not afraid to find out.