Now that it’s the start of the college bowl season it’s time for recruits to learn even more about the football recruitment process. To start, here’s a taste of what college football competition looks like: There are over 1.1 million high school football players in the US and only 13,750 NCAA division I football spots available.
The numbers can say a lot, if you think your chances are slim at making it to a top team you may be right. To really improve your chances, it’s best to be open to learning about a number of colleges at all division levels so you are not limiting yourself. If you are ready to compete on top tier team you will have to prove you have what it takes to get there.
This is exactly why you need to have the skills and the GRADES college coaches and recruiters look for.
Why academic eligibility matters for teams playing in football bowl games?
Most fans and potential recruits just want to see their favorite teams make it to postseason play they don’t think about how these teams do academically throughout the year. As most fans and recruits know teams must have a passing Academic Progress Rate or APR score in order to compete in postseason competitions.
APR scores and college bowl games
APR scores are the leading factor when it comes to a college teams postseason play. These scores are calculated using a certain group of football players on each team; typically it’s the players who are awarded athletic scholarships for the academic year. APR scores for the group of players will then be calculated four times throughout the year. What APR scores measure is players’ academic eligibility, there continuation with the program and the number of graduating players.
If all the players meet and exceed academic eligibility, teams will have a higher APR score. If a team loses players to academic eligibility or has to dismiss players for other violations then they will have a much lower score and risk the team being ineligible to compete in postseason play.
The NCAA requires teams to be accountable for their academics. It requires teams to meet a score of 900 multi-year APR or a 930 average over the most recent two years to be eligible for postseason play. And you thought college bowl games were only about football.
Recruiting, APR and making it to a college bowl game
As you move through your college recruiting process the advantages of asking college coaches about APR will be in your favor. Understanding the APR scores and how they affect the team will give you a better understanding of what will be expected of you academically.
College coaches and recruiters will be impressed with student-athletes who can not only bring up how good they will be on the field, but talk about what they can bring to the team when it comes to academics and grades.
If you are already a strong student and a stellar athlete than coaches are going to take notice; they are always looking for players who will be able to boost their APR and keep the team eligible into postseason.
If you have any other questions about meeting academic eligibility or locating college football teams then leave a comment below and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.