Kruger, Coale on board with NCAA reform
Published: 10/28/2011 7:35 AM
Last Modified: 10/28/2011 7:35 AM
Talked to both Oklahoma basketball coaches about today's NCAA reform package. Lon Kruger and Sherri Coale were encouraged, though Coale said the revisions in the recruiting and summer contact calendars related to the men's game only.
Coale was very much in favor of the $2,000 "cost of attendance" measure that gives athletes money beyond tuition, room and board, books and fees.
"Adding $2,000 is not a bonus," Kruger said. "This will simply help meet expenses of going to college."
Coale suggested the money would go to things like campus parking passes and clothing required of teams when they go on road trips.
"It's not like they come out of it with money in their pockets," Kruger said. "This just gets them closer to a full scholarship."
The NCAA stiffened academic standards. The minimum Academic Progress Report score will rise to from 900 to 930 over the next four years. Teams that fail to meet it will lose postseason opportunities.
The current GPA cutline of 2.0 is about to become 2.3 for outgoing high school seniors, and 2.5 for junior college athletes. Also, JUCO phys ed credits will be more restricted.
"I do like raising the bar. I do like high academic expectations," Coale said. "I do think there are some residual effects of this stuff that don't necessarily lead toward the intended effects."
The APR holds programs accountable for graduation rates, sure, but doesn't allow for extenuating circumstances. This has been an issue since the APR's inception.
At the same time…
"Academic expectations, I'm all about that," Coale said. "Our business is to educate young people, and those (requirements) are in place to make sure that's in place, that kids aren't going through the motions while they play basketball."
Kruger's program is affected by the recruiting contact revision. Now, coaches have four evaluation days in April, formerly a dead period, and 12 in July. No more cramming everything into the breakneck 20-day July evaluation period
The NCAA also intends to allow coaches more contact with both recruits and current players in the summer.
"Those are definitely steps forward," Kruger said. "It should allow more access to the student-athletes. Anytime there is more access, you have more opportunities to communicate and a better opportunity to get to know each other.
"From a coach's standpoint, the way it's set up now, sometimes you don't realize there's as much interest (on behalf of the recruit) until you get into July. Now you're getting to know the kids earlier, getting to watch them earlier and getting a better feel for if they're really interested in you."
-- Guerin Emig
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
