President Schlissel: Athletics & academics

http://www.michigandaily.com/article/schlissel-talks-athletics-and-administration-sacua

Its been discussed on this forum that one reason B1G & M FB aren't as good as it use to be its because of academics. Its easier to get admitted to an SEC school than its is to a BIG school.

Reading this article it seems Schlissel doesn't like the FB team admits students who aren't qualified. Reading into article sounds like he wants to make it even tougher for M to admit FB players.

Feels there is a disconnect between athletics & rest of school. He went on to say teams can only practice 20.5 hrs per week, but M teams find a way to get around it. He said he would clean house if it was only M but seems everybody does it.

One more thing everybody will love, he thinks people want him to hurry up to hire an AD, in turn who would hire a new football coach. Seems like he's going to take his time.

My 2 cents, I could be wrong, Schlissel doesn't think its a big deal if football wins as long as its players graduate. He seems he wants to be more involved in how athletic dept. runs, maybe his new AD will be his puppet.

Any thoughts?

GO BLUE!!!

He definitely thinks more of an emphasis needs to be put on academics. Hoke has had a good graduation rate and he's also had very little attrition which helps with stability. It's sounding like Hackett is going to be around longer than people originally assumed. I'm just hoping that if he is, he'll be the one to fire Hoke and hire the new coach.

I'm glad Schlissel is trying to keep the position of the football program in perspective and agree that more emphasis needs to be put on academics. I think that can be done while still hiring a competent fb coach.

Yeah, we better hire Mark Dantonio then cause I think the talent level is going to drop down the road. We're going to need someone who can coach up 2 & 3* talent. Nothing wrong with 2 & 3* talent, MD does well with it..............I'm just sayin we'll be cutting out quite a few 4 & 5's then and to get our quota of recruits, we'll need to recruit some 2's & 3's instead. JMO.

Its tough enough to get kids to come to Michigan because of the climate, now they have to be smarter than the average athlete too. Looks like soon we'll be the Boston College of the Midwest plus we now are in the toughest Division in the B1G, maybe the conference should split into the athletic division and the educational division.

I hate to say "I told you so" but...

Michigan is about much more than just athletics. I am not saying however that Michigan will turn into Northwestern, the old Alumni will never allow that. I see a compromise coming. Stanford does well with even higher academic standards but of course they also have the California weather to sell their school.

I want a good football team but not at the expense of enrolling a bunch of Mario Manningham's.

It's COLLEGE football, not FOOTBALL college. "This is Michigan, fer God's sake!" The standards should be high at the Harvard of the midwest. Otherwise, we'll be just another football school (and not a very good one, right now).

I don't care if the players can qualify, get them in the program if they can play. Put them in easy classes and keep them eligible.

I didn't read the article but the idea of Athletics taking a 180 on philosophy is ludicrous considering the resources that have been dumped into athletic facilities the past 10-15 years. All the donations that went into those facilities. He might as well publish a letter in student newspaper that says Dear Donors-Eat shit. Say good bye to attendance to games and the MILLIONS of dollars that comes with it. Just look at Northwestern if you want to see what our future would look like.

I could go on and on on this. There is no way they raise the standards and sacrifice getting great athletes. It's not like we are Kentucky basketball or Miami U.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/2014/11/12/um-fine-academics-football-stats-show/18908723/

MgoBlue, thanks for link. Good to see M FB team is doing well. I'll provide link below, for 12'-13' school yr. M and Bama where tied in 36th place w/ a score of 975. So I guess you can do well in classroom & FB field.

Auburn & Oklahoma 965 (tied 74th) FSU-958 (102nd place) ASU & USC-941 (tied 165th)

Yes, I agree they're suppose to be student-athletes. Not that it would ever happen, no one wants M to become the U Miami of the 1980s. BTW there score was 972.

Concern is, Schlissel's comments, is that going to scare away possible coaching candidates? If Harbaugh is worried that the president is going to be looking over his back on who he's recruiting, on who is a verbal commit, any interest he might have, will be gone. Could be true for any top notch coach might not want to come here. Then what???  

Don't know how close other school presidents keep track of recruiting, how a kids grades are.

The University of Michigan is nationally one of the top schools, but also hope Schlissel has finally understood the FB program is a HUGE BIG DEAL!!!!!!! If program continues to struggle, the money donations go down, the attendance continues to go down, I think it evidentially affects all the athletic programs.

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2014/5/14/5717872/new-2013-apr-scores-ncaa-football