Coaching changes affect football graduation rates

by Colleen Schmidt
Staff Writer

More Ohio University football players failed to graduate in 2001 than the previous year, a drop some Ohio officials attribute to a coaching change in 1995 that led to delayed freshmen recruitment.

Graduation rates of football players dropped 12 percent between 2000 and 2001, according to a report from the NCAA, which accounts for student athletes on scholarship. Of the 11 to 15 players who entered in 1995, half of them graduated, compared to 62 percent the year before. Some of the students included in these statistics redshirted, or did not play for a year without losing eligibility.

Some Ohio administrators said this drop was the result of Jim Grobe replacing Tom Lichtenberg as coach in 1995.

“When there are coaching changes, this hurts sports,” said Jennifer Stiles, assistant athletics director.

Grobe, now coach at Wake Forest, said 1995 was difficult for Ohio because recruitment of freshmen did not begin until after most high school seniors had signed at another school.

“That year was tough because I didn’t get my staff assembled until January when the majority of recruits are already committed by Christmas,” he said.

Because of this delay in recruitment, Grobe said Ohio was forced to accept students who were not as academically strong as they had been in past years.

“We took players that we weren’t able to do a lot of research on,” he said.

And this setback in 1995 might affect this year’s graduation rates of Ohio football players as well, said Grobe’s replacement, Ohio coach Brian Knorr.

Ohio Director of Athletics Thomas Boeh said Knorr has a similar solid commitment to academics to Grobe, which helped the hiring process.

“That’s why we hired Brian Knorr,” Boeh said. “He’s out of the same mold as Jim Grobe.”

All Ohio students who receive scholarships in football, basketball or volleyball receive full scholarships, Stiles said. Students who play other sports and receive scholarships only receive partial aid. The graduation rates for basketball and volleyball players increased from 2000 to 2001.

Before arriving at Ohio, students who are interested in receiving full scholarships are required to meet certain academic requirements set by the NCAA, she said. Once they enter the university, students only have to maintain 12 hours, or full-time student status, and a 2.0 GPA to continue receiving aid.

According to an e-mail message from OU President Robert Glidden, the university’s focus on excellence in education does not exclude athletics. And coaches largely are held responsible for students’ academics.

“It is my strong belief that coaches have more to do with athletes’ graduation rates than anything else,” he responded. “If a coach gives only lip service to an athlete’s education, the students sense that and behave accordingly.”

But Glidden will not be concerned about the drop in rates unless numbers continue to fall, he said in the e-mail message.

Boeh said the athletic department knew of the problem beforehand, but they believe it is a one-time problem.

“Right now we’re pretty confident that was an expected bump in the road,” Boeh said. “We would be concerned if we saw a two or three year trend.”

Likewise, Knorr said the graduation rates should begin rising again in 2003.