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USF academic progress in football, basketball among nation's worst

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By BRETT McMURPHY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 6, 2009

TAMPA - The University of South Florida's football program had the nation's worst Academic Progress Report (APR) among BCS conference schools, while the men's basketball program had the nation's third-worst score, according to the most recent figures released by the NCAA on Wednesday.

The APR is based on the eligibility, retention and graduation of each scholarship student-athlete.

The reports are based on NCAA Division I APR data submitted by each institution for the four academic years between 2004-05 and 2007-08. There is a maximum score of 1,000.

USF's football program had a 909 APR this year, a drop of eight points from last season (917). USF's men's basketball program had an 878 APR this year, a drop of 26 points from last season (904).

"I am pleased with the academic progress of our baseball, football and men's basketball programs," USF athletic director Doug Woolard said in a statement. "Our football and men's basketball teams continue to make improvements and are steadily increasing their scores."

USF, Arkansas, Colorado and Purdue were the only BCS schools that had their football and men's basketball programs ranked among the nation's 10 worst.

USF's football team avoided scholarship losses by applying for an NCAA waiver and received it for a second consecutive year. USF must meet an annual score of 937 in 2008-09 or face scholarship reductions.

The Bulls' men's basketball team also would have lost scholarships except the NCAA noted that USF was "not subject ... to historical penalties due to the team's demonstrated academic improvement and favorable comparison based on other academic or institutional factors."

Last year, USF had the nation's third-worst APR score among BCS football schools and the nation's 10th worst APR score among BCS men's basketball programs.

Last year when the football team scored 917, USF Senior Associate AD Bill McGillis said then the team was on track to score as high as 945. Instead it scored a 909.

On Tuesday, the school indicated "a preliminary estimate has football posting [a] 944 score" next year, which would be seven points above the minimum to avoid scholarship reductions.

Despite the sobering reports, Woolard remains optimistic.

"We are coming off a semester when our department as a whole achieved great things in the classroom," Woolard said. "We had the highest fall semester GPA since 2001 and celebrated as 253 student-athletes and 11 teams posted a GPA of 3.0 or better. All these accolades have come while winning two Big East championships, one Women's NIT Championship and the inaugural magicJack St. Petersburg Bowl.

"It's a great time to be a Bull and our tremendous student-athletes are the catalyst for all of our success."

The BCS' Bottom 10

Football APRs

1. USF 909
2. Ole Miss 910
3. Minnesota 915
4. Washington State 918
5. Arizona 924
6. Purdue 926
7. Arkansas 927
8. Colorado 929
Tie. South Carolina 929
10. Baylor 930
Tie. Illinois 930
Tie. Louisville 930
Tie. Oregon State 930

The BCS' Bottom 10

Men's basketball APRs

1. Indiana 866
2. Iowa State 877
3. USF 878
4. Arkansas 888
5. Auburn 899
6. Colorado 900
Tie. Kansas State 900
Tie. Purdue 900
9. Cincinnati 902
10. USC 906

Big East football APR rankings

1. Rutgers 980
2. Syracuse 956
3. UConn 951
4. Cincinnati 947
5. Pittsburgh 944
6. West Virginia 939
7. Louisville 930
8. USF 909

Big East basketball APR rankings (football members only)

1. Rutgers 968
2. Louisville 965
tie. Pittsburgh 965
4. West Virginia 960
5. UConn 939
6. Syracuse 932
7. Cincinnati 902
8. USF 878

Reporter Brett McMurphy can be reached at (813) 259-7928

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