SEC Academics

[Manhattan]

Does the SEC operate academically like the Big Ten? It seems like school presidents in the Big Ten - even at, or rather especially at, Ohio State with Gordon Gee - place far more emphasis on academics and research when they have their talks or voice their concerns over conference expansion. We know Texas didn't find the SEC appealing because of academics, but do the SEC schools care about the organization of the SEC outside of athletics? I find it odd how the SEC has these huge football traditions, large amounts of cheap land, good weather, huge federal funding, yet it can't develop even a decent academic reputation in the fastest growing states in the country. For all of Texas' oddball education things recently, clearly, at some point in their history, decided that education was important, and have made quite an impressive institution and intellectual community in Austin. I would say the same things about the Big 12, but the SEC has been around for nearly 100 years and hasn't done too much as an organization, whereas the Big 12 hasn't been around long enough to have an effect. Some people think that the quality of a university has more to do with the state of the primary/secondary education in the state as a whole, but there are plenty of exceptions to that idea too.

It seems like all of the best universities in the country became great because they had the resources to establish an international academic network which in turn would attract the best researchers, academics, grants, etc, which would bring even more money, and it seems to me that a sports conference would be an obvious way to help grow and finance such a network - which is what the Big Ten is - but I don't understand why the SEC doesn't seem to take advantage of this.

 

[Creed]

My belief is the SEC is a win at all costs conferences since there is so much money, pride, etc at stake. The SEC has had at least one school on probabtion for infractions of some sort every year for like the last 20. Alabama should have have received the death penalty back in the 90s.

I believe they have a very liberal special admissions policy. Of course, their fans have their arguments, disputing the special admissions.

If you look at where the SEC gets most of their players (ie the Southeast)those states (FL, MS, LA, etc) have the worst education systems. They have to have liberal admission policies to get their players in.

 

[killer cacti]

SEC academics = pretty much non-existent (with the exception of Vandy, Tenn, & Florida)

 

[junior4949]

My belief is the SEC is a win at all costs conferences since there is so much money, pride, etc at stake. The SEC has had at least one school on probabtion for infractions of some sort every year for like the last 20. Alabama should have have received the death penalty back in the 90s.

I believe they have a very liberal special admissions policy. Of course, their fans have their arguments, disputing the special admissions.

If you look at where the SEC gets most of their players (ie the Southeast)those states (FL, MS, LA, etc) have the worst education systems. They have to have liberal admission policies to get their players in.

Didn't we used to have special admission policies until we joined the Big 12?

 

[NUance]

Does the SEC operate academically like the Big Ten? It seems like school presidents in the Big Ten - even at, or rather especially at, Ohio State with Gordon Gee - place far more emphasis on academics and research when they have their talks or voice their concerns over conference expansion. We know Texas didn't find the SEC appealing because of academics, but do the SEC schools care about the organization of the SEC outside of athletics? I find it odd how the SEC has these huge football traditions, large amounts of cheap land, good weather, huge federal funding, yet it can't develop even a decent academic reputation in the fastest growing states in the country. For all of Texas' oddball education things recently, clearly, at some point in their history, decided that education was important, and have made quite an impressive institution and intellectual community in Austin. I would say the same things about the Big 12, but the SEC has been around for nearly 100 years and hasn't done too much as an organization, whereas the Big 12 hasn't been around long enough to have an effect. Some people think that the quality of a university has more to do with the state of the primary/secondary education in the state as a whole, but there are plenty of exceptions to that idea too.

It seems like all of the best universities in the country became great because they had the resources to establish an international academic network which in turn would attract the best researchers, academics, grants, etc, which would bring even more money, and it seems to me that a sports conference would be an obvious way to help grow and finance such a network - which is what the Big Ten is - but I don't understand why the SEC doesn't seem to take advantage of this.

GREAT topic! I'm not sure what the answer is. Apparently the SEC is only about athletics, mostly college football. Look at what UT has done: $12.1 billion endowment. 50,000+ students. $600 million yearly research expenditures. Over time, UT has developed resources that no SEC school can match. And no other Big 12 school either. Sure, they have some advantages in Texas (read: oil $$). But they've been smart about concentrating their efforts. They've developed Austin into a silicon valley of the prairie.

But with all the advantages and wealth they have, UT still feels the need to extract yet more $$$ from the Big 12 have-nots of Mizzou, K-State, KU and Ia-State. That's one reason so many people, myself included, consider UT to be a bunch of loudmouthed a$$hat$.

 

[wags]

i believe it was spurrier who said that there was a fire at the university of auburn library.....

the sad part was that only 20 of them had been colored in so far.

 

[MSUSparty]

I remember when Jim Delany called out the $EC back in 2007.

I love speed and the SEC has great speed, especially on the defensive line, but there are appropriate balances when mixing academics and athletics. Each school, as well as each conference, simply must do what fits their mission regardless of what a recruiting service recommends. I wish we had six teams among the top 10 recruiting classes every year, but winning our way requires some discipline and restraint with the recruitment process. Not every athlete fits athletically, academically or socially at every university. Fortunately, we have been able to balance our athletic and academic mission so that we can compete successfully and keep faith with our academic standards.

Here is a link I found with the quote.

http://www.dawgsonline.com/2007/02/12/big-10-commish-jim-delany-honorary-tech-fan/

 

[Manhattan]

At Ohio State at least, people forget that part of our coaching method - started by Woody Hayes - was not only to make great athletes, but to make great men. Woody really followed after and took care of his student-athletes. The same cannot be said for the convicts of Florida.

 

[MichiganMan]

At Ohio State at least, people forget that part of our coaching method - started by Woody Hayes - was not only to make great athletes, but to make great men. Woody really followed after and took care of his student-athletes. The same cannot be said for the convicts of Florida.

I'm sorry but I can't sit here and let you paint such a pretty picture of Ohio State. lets not forget the infamous "Terrelle Pryor's Research Paper." http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=219448639934&v=info

but hey he can play ball so its all good

i forget his name but who was the player on the team that had a 0.0 gpa?

edit: Nevermind found it. Reggie Germany

"My GPA was bad because I never attended class. It wasn’t bad because I did the work and failed," he said.

http://www.buckeyeplanet.com/forum/buckeye-alumni/27200-wr-reggie-germany-official-thread.html

 

[Manhattan]

At Ohio State at least, people forget that part of our coaching method - started by Woody Hayes - was not only to make great athletes, but to make great men. Woody really followed after and took care of his student-athletes. The same cannot be said for the convicts of Florida.

I'm sorry but I can't sit here and let you paint such a pretty picture of Ohio State. lets not forget the infamous "Terrelle Pryor's Research Paper." http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=219448639934&v=info

but hey he can play ball so its all good

i forget his name but who was the player on the team that had a 0.0 gpa?

edit: Nevermind found it. Reggie Germany

"My GPA was bad because I never attended class. It wasn’t bad because I did the work and failed," he said.

http://www.buckeyeplanet.com/forum/buckeye-alumni/27200-wr-reggie-germany-official-thread.html

You know that paper is fake, right? Pryor was an Academic All-Big Ten selection last year. :facepalm:

 

[srajdb]

At Ohio State at least, people forget that part of our coaching method - started by Woody Hayes - was not only to make great athletes, but to make great men. Woody really followed after and took care of his student-athletes. The same cannot be said for the convicts of Florida.

I'm sorry but I can't sit here and let you paint such a pretty picture of Ohio State. lets not forget the infamous "Terrelle Pryor's Research Paper." http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=219448639934&v=info

but hey he can play ball so its all good

i forget his name but who was the player on the team that had a 0.0 gpa?

edit: Nevermind found it. Reggie Germany

"My GPA was bad because I never attended class. It wasn’t bad because I did the work and failed," he said.

http://www.buckeyeplanet.com/forum/buckeye-alumni/27200-wr-reggie-germany-official-thread.html

You know that paper is fake, right? Pryor was an Academic All-Big Ten selection last year. :facepalm:

That would be a bit more plausible of only Mr. University of Ohio State, err, Mr. Pryor could only get his school's name right.

 

[mmmtodd]

6 and one half dozen to another. who cares?

 

[MSUSparty]

At Ohio State at least, people forget that part of our coaching method - started by Woody Hayes - was not only to make great athletes, but to make great men. Woody really followed after and took care of his student-athletes. The same cannot be said for the convicts of Florida.

While the B10 has has higher academic standards than the $EC, let's not OD on the kool aid. Every program has their mix of good and bad kids.

 

[Coqui]

That would be a bit more plausible of only Mr. University of Ohio State, err, Mr. Pryor could only get his school's name right.

Are we really resorting to potshots taken at another school's quarterback that aren't really relevant?

 

[UGAHusker]

SEC academics = pretty much non-existent (with the exception of Vandy, Tenn, & Florida)

Yeah, I guess this is why the University of Georgia is a higher ranked academic undergradaute institution (and also for many graduate programs) than Clemson. Tennessee? Are you kidding me?

Also, you have to look at the feeder schools. States in the deep South perform near or at the bottom on K-12 standardized tests and the school systems themselves are greatly inferior to other states' education systems.