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Analysts Say Committee Could Hurt USF

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By ADAM EMERSON, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 7, 2008

TAMPA - Now that a new admissions committee at the University of South Florida has weighed in on some of Jim Leavitt's prospects, its decision and the timing of its actions are likely to affect the coach's recruiting long into the future, two analysts said.

"It's definitely going to make things tougher in Tampa, no question," said Jamie Newberg, national recruiting analyst for Scout.com. "By putting on more stringent requirements, the pool of athletes is going to shrink."

Added CSTV national recruiting analyst Tom Lemming: "It definitely could hurt their recruiting by limiting their choices. Other schools have a lot more academic leeway. South Florida will have to adjust to it. Only time will tell."

USF formed a faculty committee last fall to weigh whether to deny admission to academically at-risk student-athletes or accept them with conditions before coaches sign them. In the past, Leavitt, for instance, would recruit the state's best players and sign them on National Signing Day. If they later met the NCAA's qualifying mark, they would apply for admission.

On Wednesday, Leavitt declined to discuss how the committee affects his recruiting.

The new policy has claimed at least one recruit, Justin Green, a Palm Beach Gardens offensive lineman who had planned to sign with USF on Wednesday.

But Green learned Tuesday that he wasn't approved.

"The timing seems a little flawed to me," Newberg said.

The university formed the committee last fall, at a time when the academic side of the university took greater control over the scholastic lives of student-athletes.

The committee didn't meet with Leavitt until last Thursday, but Leellen Brigman, USF's associate vice president for enrollment planning and management, said the committee tried unsuccessfully to schedule a meeting with Leavitt in mid-January.

Reporter Brett McMurphy contributed to this report.

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