30 players achieve GPA of 3.0 or better in Spring.

[bengalcub]

According to Jeff Tingey's monthly release, this is more than double the amount of 3.0 students that the football program has had EVER. :clap:

These are the little things that not many people notice, but things that show that the football program is taking some huge steps in the right direction.

I have zero doubt that Kramer is the best hire in the ISU football program since Dave Kragthorpe. :notworthy:

It is truly amazing to see what accountability can do for a program.

 

[tuffgong]

That is staggering.. All I can really say is "WOW" and contests to the coaches
And players that are giving their best efforts.. All we have really heard in
The past is why it Couldn't be done. Nice to hear a different tune..

 

[tuffgong]

Congrats* sorry, auto correct..

 

[Bengal Roar]

Great news! Those student athletes should be proud of themselves. That is the way to get it done. Now get it done on the field! Great job!

 

[Red Hill]

Who cares? What does this have to do with the football team? I'll take a nine win team with a 2.0 GPA any day!

 

[FormerISUSID]

Red Hill...it has everything to do with the fact that grades have been a major issue towards APR and eligibility issues. ISU needs SMART football kids right now, ones that understand what their responsibilities are off the field in the classroom. ISU can't have 2.0 kids in theory due to the APR hell they are in.

Former ISUSID

 

[bengalcub]

Who cares? What does this have to do with the football team? I'll take a nine win team with a 2.0 GPA any day!

Sad thing is, three years ago I would have agreed with you.

Because of steps like this and progress in other academic areas, ISU regained a few scholarships that they lost under Zamberlin.

So, would you much rather play down 6-10 scholarships a year, with fewer practices a week, a post season ban and with a potential removal from the Division I classification?

If your answer is NO--then I would say that news like this has everything to do with ISU football.

 

[Red Hill]

Maybe Frank can answer this. What was the GPA of the 2003 team?

 

[Skippy]

Red Hill, you are aware that there was no such thing as the Academic Progress Report in 2003, right?

 

[FormerISUSID]

That teams APR would have been bad actually because they lost a ton of folks from fall to spring for grades, and then many of those kids didn't make it back, but I don't have numbers. I remember that in 2003 and 2004 we held a lot of people out for spring football to "Concentrate on academics".

FormerISUSID

 

[bpcats1]

APR for ISU (4 year average) for ISU football

year ending 05 875
06 870
07 892
08 876
09 879
10 888

Have a few historical penalties including scholarship reduction 2.98, practice reduction, and championship ban.

MSU spent years getting out of APR jail and when we got all our scholarships back it was like christmas in february for the Coaches. If you figure that your out at least 12 scholarship players over a 4 year period (more if you split scholarships) for your team that is a lot of depth that you don't have. MSU has only been out of APR jail two years and it has made a world of difference recruiting against the Griz knowing we can match their offers for in-state kids.

Its good to see that the administration is backing Kramer and supporting his efforts make sure the kids make the grades.
http://web1.ncaa.org/maps/cVbnp9TaprRelease.jsp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[bengalcub]

If the link provided above is correct, ISU's ARP is improving--the reduction in scholarships has been reduced and the tide may slowly be turning.

However, it looks like ISU will be banned from post season play this season. This is in addition to reduced scholarships, and reduced practice time.

Personally, I feel like things are moving in the right direction. Kramer cannot fix all the damage that was caused in less than a semester and 1/2.

Memo to walk-ons, come to Pocatello and work hard. Solid academics and a committed effort on the field will earn some walk-on kids partials, you can take this to the bank. One of the quickest ways to fix APR is to utilize this practice. MORE WALK-ONS WILL GET MONEY.

I would expect that this will help in state football recruiting over time. ISU's hand being forced with regard to APR may--in the end help ISU make strides in state and in turn improve the walk-on program. Both will make ISU better over time.

APR for the Rest of the Big Sky in Football 2009-2010...

Eastern Washington 935

Idaho State 888
Historical Penalty
Public Notice = Yes
Historical Penalty - Scholarship Reduction = 2.982
Historical Penalty - Practice Reduction = Yes
Historical Penalty - Championship Ban = Yes

Montana 932

Montana State 932

Northern Arizona 953

Portland State 921
Immediate Penalty - Scholarship Reduction = 0.29

Sac State 931

Northern Colorado 938

Weber State 913
Immediate Penalty - Scholarship Reduction = 0.43

 

[FormerISUSID]

Just for some information, bpcats1 posted the NCAA's secure website for the APR, which is not released publicly until next Tuesday. I'd recommend taking that down actually....the NCAA frowns on such things.

FormerISUSID

 

[bengalcub]

In my humble opinion, the NCAA can frown upon it all they like.

A simple Google Search with the key words...
"ACADEMIC PROGRESS RATE"
...make this type of information public and very accessible...

This is the same link that was available last year to get the data. So, if you saved the link last year--merely grabbing it from your list of favorites would make this new information immediately accessible.

Query the exact link and you can see that these scores are out and being discussed across the country.

 

[FormerISUSID]

That's really interesting that it's the same link every time. You would think the media would have picked up on that, and I meant nationally. Obviously the Pocatello media (well, the folks that break news) have figured that one out LOL.

FormerISUSID

 

[Bengal Roar]

The NCAA is a joke! To let the BCS do what they are doing is a complete joke, scam, three ring circus. Its all about the big $$$ for the big schools. You think the NCAA is fair? I don't I don't give a rats!@#$ what the NCAA thinks!

Cub, Are we in fact banned from post season play? If that is true then that is a joke too. Wow did Z leave this program in shambles or what!?

 

[bengalcub]

I cannot say with 100% certainty that ISU is facing a post season ban. However, that is the next step in the process, so it seems logical. The next step after that is a Division I ban. And while I don't think that would happen, if it did, it would probably cost ISU its membership in the BSC.

You wont see the ISJ talking about the improvements in the classroom, in fact, I have a feeling Heater will spin this latest penalty on Kramer.

The John Zamberlin era set ISU back farther than it has ever been set back since I have been alive. Heater and Zamberlin are quick to point out that they lacked institutional support. To a degree that may be true. However, Kramer and his staff are dedicated to fixing what is wrong and they don't sit and bitch and moan about what they don't have. They concentrate on what they do have. In fact, the coaches spent this spring physically accompanying students to class.

I have all confidence in the world that Kramer will right the ship, win games in the process of fixing the Zamberlin mess and build a team of kids that are accountable on the field and in the classroom.

On another note, Montana's four year APR average has been slipping dramatically over the past three seasons. Truthfully, there are a number of BSC schools that are barely hitting the 925. I would not be surprised if in the future, the BSC as a whole institutes some sort of plan to address the APR deficiencies as a conference. The conference as a whole is walking a very fine line and it would be a black eye to have four or five conference members be on some sort of NCAA penalty.

 

[FormerISUSID]

Seeing it here at UNM, I can tell you it takes a very dedicated TEAM of academic advisors and counselors. You can't just have two people in an office and think it's gonna work. Kramer made a very positive step by hiring Quinton to handle academics, but even in that, you are talking one guy for 80 or so very busy kids. It's really hard to do. With the rigors and demands of student-athletes, the more money put into academic welfare, the better. It's so important...the fact that Kramer has taken a direct hand in it and made it not just Quinton's responsibility, but all of his coaches as well speaks volumes.

FormerISUSID

 

[vandalbasher]

I say this is a job well done. These kids will represent the university out in the community, as graduates, better than someone who didn't make it into the NFL and they will be productive contributors to your program. Congrats from a Vandal.


GV