The CheckerBoard

Thank you that clears up a lot of things. As a graduate of UT I want my degree to mean something, therefore I support the goal of being a top 50 research policy. Having said all that there needs to be some flexibility with athletes and other students that excel in different areas other than academics. We can't put ourselves at a disadvantage to other SEC schools athletics.

The success of the football team has nothing to do with the academic success of the colleges at UTK. If they are not succeeding, who is stopping them ... our cornerback? My mentor was on the faculty senate and is as academic as one can be. Most of the professors and most the administrators are avid supportors of the athletic department because they know how much it helps the university.

The problem is a highly motivated, small minority on the faculty. They will not take their hands off the AD until someone (figuratively) breaks their fings.

I know some on here have tried to downplay this issue, but I think it needs to be explained fully. I think this has been a huge factor in the downfall of UT Football. HOF coaches don't suddenly forget how to coach and/or recruit. NC caliber programs don't just suddenly suck in this short of a time period - particularly not with the history, facilities and support that UT has traditiionally had. The fact that UT has had so much trouble hiring a coach tells any rational person that something is wrong. I think Jones is a top, up and coming coach, but if the school keeps putting up these kinds of hurdles, I am concerned that he will fail too. It is time to change what has been done to the program. It is time to move forward. It is time for UT to take back its place among the traditional football powers. If the administration can' support these reasonable changes, They need to be Fired.

i have heard from multiple, reliable sources that every (now including Vanderbilt) SEC program gets a "waiver" on 4-5 "at-risk" recruits each year. For top programs, such as UT that is 16 to 20 4/5-star players on the team after 4 years (less losses). You don't need to be a football guru to know that makes a difference.

If we continue this, we have placed a glass ceiling in our program - regardless of whom the coach is.

I have heard that UT doesn't offer Criminal Justice as a major. This may sound silly or simple but next time you watch a college football game notice how many are criminal justice majors. Most football players (if they don't think they can play in the league) aren't interested in becoming accountants. Police, FBI, Secret Service type jobs are very appealing and they are looking for candidates who are in shape so most football players are a great fit.

Here's my two cents on the situation. Not that the NCAA or any college would admit it, but college football is a business for players as much as it is for a coaching staff. Schools offer you scholarships (money) in order to come play football for them. If you are an elite prospect, your goal is to get to the NFL and make money, not to get a degree and use it in a profession other than sports. Now I'm not saying that everyone is like that, but let's not be ignorant of the situation either. I'm glad that Coach Jones is putting an emphasis on academics, and he's going to go after players who do care about their education (Look at Marquez North for example). As far as becoming a top 25 public research university, I'm not really concerned. As a UT student, I am concerned how tuition has been raised 30% in 3 years, Cheek has taken a 22,000 dollar raise, and yet our ranking hasn't really improved. Get elite players in here, do what it takes, and more money will funnel into the university as a by-product. Sorry, frustrated student rant!

I think the exceptions where used up at fl and we still had one.