Spring Break
Graduation: Football graduation rate ranks high in NCAA
Brett Larson
Issue date: 11/30/07 Section: Sports
TCU football has a player graduation rate 12 percent higher than the national average, a study found.
According to a recent NCAA study on graduation rates, TCU is graduating an average of 78 percent of its senior football players, while the national average is 66 percent. The Horned Frogs also ranked in the top five for graduation success rates.
At TCU, student-athlete graduation rates are a top priority, head coach Gary Patterson said.
TCU football has accomplished its ahead-of-the-curve graduation rate, while at the same time, posting three seasons of 10 or more wins in the past four years.
During the 2005 and 2006 seasons, TCU finished fifth in graduation rates among teams ranked in the national top 25 polls.
Patterson said he takes pride in the football team's graduation successes and makes it a personal point to push the importance of school to his players.
"They better go to class or they'll run," Patterson said.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Andy Dalton said TCU's academics were a major reason why he chose to attend.
"Ever since recruiting, he (Patterson) talked about how high the graduation rates are here," Dalton said.
Dalton said he believes academics should be a factor in every athlete's school choice, and TCU's academics probably help persuade players to attend.
Academically, Patterson said his main focus for his team is helping players get through their freshman and sophomore years.
"I don't think they see the light at the end of the tunnel," Patterson said. "Finally, when they get to their junior and senior years, they start to mature and they see how school is important and they get a degree."
Senior free safety David Roach said the coaches are always pushing younger players to succeed in class.
"Your first two years, you constantly have coaches watching out for you," Roach said. "I wouldn't say hounding you, but they're actually looking out for you, trying to grow you up into a man."
According to a recent NCAA study on graduation rates, TCU is graduating an average of 78 percent of its senior football players, while the national average is 66 percent. The Horned Frogs also ranked in the top five for graduation success rates.
At TCU, student-athlete graduation rates are a top priority, head coach Gary Patterson said.
TCU football has accomplished its ahead-of-the-curve graduation rate, while at the same time, posting three seasons of 10 or more wins in the past four years.
During the 2005 and 2006 seasons, TCU finished fifth in graduation rates among teams ranked in the national top 25 polls.
Patterson said he takes pride in the football team's graduation successes and makes it a personal point to push the importance of school to his players.
"They better go to class or they'll run," Patterson said.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Andy Dalton said TCU's academics were a major reason why he chose to attend.
"Ever since recruiting, he (Patterson) talked about how high the graduation rates are here," Dalton said.
Dalton said he believes academics should be a factor in every athlete's school choice, and TCU's academics probably help persuade players to attend.
Academically, Patterson said his main focus for his team is helping players get through their freshman and sophomore years.
"I don't think they see the light at the end of the tunnel," Patterson said. "Finally, when they get to their junior and senior years, they start to mature and they see how school is important and they get a degree."
Senior free safety David Roach said the coaches are always pushing younger players to succeed in class.
"Your first two years, you constantly have coaches watching out for you," Roach said. "I wouldn't say hounding you, but they're actually looking out for you, trying to grow you up into a man."
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