Curiosity took over last week when I spotted this University of Idaho Athletics tweet.
I wanted to know which Idaho athletes earned all-WAC academic honors? And why more Vandals didn't make it?
As I scrolled through the list of student-athletes who had at least 3.0 GPA and took part in half of their team's contests, I was shocked to find more Boise State Broncos show up than any other WAC school. That was especially true for football.
It was a surprise because Boise State University has a academic reputation on par with Greendale Community College in many of its programs.
So how did the Broncos get 14 more all-WAC academic players than Idaho (a school with a solid classroom reputation)? Something wasn't right.
After a few minutes of digging it was clear this was just another Boise State gimmick, like the trick plays they use to score against BCS opponents.
Of their 22 academic performers only four Broncos had declared majors, two of which could qualify as tough (accounting and psychology). It's not hard to make the dean's list when you're taking 'rock's for jocks,' weightlifting and basket-weaving.
On the flip side, only one of Idaho's six academic players was an undeclared major, one was pre-med and yet another was earning a master's in accounting.
At first glance, things may appear in order on the Smurf Turf, but there's always another dimension when you look.
Rather than challenging its athletes to go for a Heisman in the classroom, Boise State is content having its athletes pose like Lady Liberty.
Boise State All-WAC Academic Honors
Accounting: Richard Brockel; Communication: Jeron Johnson, Kyle Wilson; Psychology: Michael Choate
Undeclared: Michael Adams, Michael Atkinson, Kyle Efaw, Zach Gholson, Byron Hout, Joseph Kellogg, Chandler Koch, Darren Koontz, Kellen Moore, Hazen Moss, Daniel Paul, James Percy, Christopher Potter, Nathaniel Potter, Tyler Shoemaker, Matthew Slater, Tommy Smith, Aaron Tevis
Idaho All-WAC Academic Honors
Accounting: Aaron Lavarias, Adam Juratovac (Masters); Business: Robert Cowan; Chemistry/Pre-Med: Nathan Enderle; Finance: Peter Bjorvik; Undeclared: Preston Davis
4 comments:
FYI, that accounting "major" on the part of Richie Brockel is actually a masters degree.
Also, BSU's comm department isn't Mickey Mouse. The department has intensive writing screens at the undergrad and grad levels.
I do agree, though, that more of these guys need to declare a damn major.
—BSU Alum and major Bronco fan
This is interesting...but, what are the criterion to make the WAC academic team? I would imagine the fact that Boise went undefeated played into the selection. It's probably important to look at the best players in the conference, and then they make the team if they qualify for all-academic honors.
The only hole in my argument is that these guys clearly are not taking major-specific classes, making the 3.0 easier than slicing butter with a warm knife.
Boise had better be careful. If they want major national attention, they had better be ready for the scrutiny. And they're definitely campaigning for the national spotlight.
The more interesting story to me is that BSU won't ever make it out of the WAC - and to true national respectibility - without improving its academic performance. A PR effort to win over the media and hapless coaches is one thing, but the last time I checked the Pac-10 and Mountain West administrators seemed more concerned about diluting the quality of their superior academic programs to let a PR campaign affect them. Sadly for BSU, they'll have to actually put up in the classroom before they move to a big conference and, once they do that, their football program will disappear against consistently difficult opponents.
Academics is a KEY component in conference alignment and is often overlooked by sports writers. Obviously athletic performance, geography and money are big factors, but as the Big Ten considers expansion look what's at the forefront. Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee said "it’s significant that we have institutions that meet the academic standing and reputation of institutions now in the Big Ten."
Nich you're dead right, that without academic improvement Boise State won't be able to move up. Right now, the Broncos are right where they should be with the likes of Fresno's and San Jose State's of the West.
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