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A couple of bothersome questions Symbolic recruiting, adages and grad rates By: Malamute, 17 July 2003
I'd like to share them with you. 1. What can be done about the number of injuries UW football players have suffered over the past few seasons? Five-star recruits who don't pan out because of injuries make me wonder about the recruiting process. During this process, do some coaches keep a slot or two open for a 5-star prospect that none of the big guns want, but could have, just to pad their numbers when the recruiting rankings are released? Yet, when tendering a scholarship offer, the coach knows that he may be gambling on the recruit, either because of a congenital health problem or because of an injury suffered in high school football. Or maybe the coach didn’t bother to ask the recruit some tough questions regarding his health and playability for the future. Prospects with suspect medical qualifications—or otherwise—can be asked to submit to a physical examination during their recruiting visits. NCAA bylaw 13.12.2.5.1 states that "during a prospect’s official or unofficial visit to campus, a member institution, through its regular team or other designated physician, may conduct a medical examination to determine the prospect’s medical qualifications to participate in intercollegiate athletics, provided no athletics department staff member other than the trainer is present and the examination does not include any test or procedure designed to measure the athletics agility or skill of the prospect.” With respect to the Huskies, I can think of a couple of highly sought-after recruits that never really made it on the gridiron because of congenital back problems. Although they gave it the old college try, their failure to perform is partially responsible for the UW’s pathetic running game the last two seasons. Also, UW players have suffered an inordinate number of shoulder injuries over the last several seasons. Coach Rick Neuheisel explains them this way, “More than 70 percent of shoulder surgeries were on shoulders damaged prior to arrival (at the UW).” As one former Washington coach suggested, asking the tough questions during the recruiting process and requiring prospects to take physicals may be something that incoming Coach Keith Gilbertson might want to consider. 2. Why does the UW continue to schedule schools that have low-graduation rates? Several weeks ago, the American Football Coaches Association recognized Washington as one of 31 programs to post a graduation rate of better than 70 percent for the freshman class of 1997-98. The UW was the only Pac-10 school listed by the AFCA in its top 31 schools. Over the past 10 years, the UW has increased its football graduation rate from 39% (1993) to over 70% (2003). This marked increase in graduation rates is due, in part, to the effort of Coach Rick Neuheisel—who is to be commended for his accomplishment. In contrast, regardless of the outcome of the academic problems surrounding its RB Maurice Clarett, Ohio State’s football team had a 28% graduation rate for the class that started during the 1995-6 school year. For the same year, Ohio State was 10th in the Big Ten with a 60% graduation rate among athletes. The defending national champion Buckeyes will be Washington’s first opponent this upcoming season, and the game will draw a large television audience, with concomitant revenues for the UW. Sure it’s all about money, but, in my opinion, an institution that has set such high academic standards for its athletes—and that has achieved them—doesn’t belong on the same playing field with a school that has, by all appearances, become a football factory. No, I'm not one of those prima donnas from the upper campus. I spent much of my undergraduate career at Bagley Hall, putting out ether fires during lab experiments, among other things. ------ On the light side, a couple of recruiting adages: Health-minded recruiting adage:
A symbolic recruit may play well with the media, but he won’t play well with the
fans unless he plays well. Wailea today when you can Kaanapali to Maui. Nueheisel recruiting adage: During the May evaluation period, never speak to the coach of a prospect within earshot without wearing a wool muffler.
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It's a slow period for
football fans and, although I should be digging up some facts about Husky
history—which is one of the purposes of this website—I woke up one night
contemplating much more than some Gil-Dobieisms, er hum. While we await the
jettisoning of our football coach and the start of fall practice, August 6, a
couple of penetrating questions come to mind.