Speaking as a parent. I've read on a few different boards that a few of the coaches that were interviewed had issues with our academic structures. That really bothered me and here's why.
During my son's recruitment process, I had a spreadsheet of questions for all 25+ schools that offered him, and in that list of questions I had few specifically regarding academics. I asked every coach who i let into my living room:
1. At what gpa do you NO longer allow your players to hit the field?
2. Who is the person(s) that support the players while they're on the road?
3. Will the parents have access to the academic support team?
4 I found University of Tennessee to honor EVERY FREAKIN' THING they told me during recruitment to be 1000% TRUTH!
Academic probation is 2.0 ( You're not playing)
Note takers and tutors available(TRUTH)
Structured needs to EACH individual player (TRUTH)
Parent access to academic advisors (TRUTH)
Vol For Life Program (PHENOMAL TRUTH) Y'all really don't know the half of what that really means to the families AND our sons. Everything should not be shared publicly, but this is the best thing DOOLEY ever put in place.
I could share a million things that I wasn't told during recruitment, but NOT ONE THING negatively. I was blown away by the structure behind those players once he got on campus. I was absolutely stunned, thrilled, estatic; and definitely reassured that sending my son to the University of Tennessee was more than the right decision for our family and his well-being.
I had coaches that I put out of my house because they told me well "Mrs. Terry, student isn't failing until they hit a 1.9gpa". My mouth dropped, my husband head dropped, my son shook his head, and his Godmother asked the coach to repeat himself.
So I said all that to say this; If Dave Hart interviewed coaches that didn't like University of Tennessee's structure of our academics, then AMEN! What that tells me as a parent, that those coaches didn't give rats ass about these kids who are in college to earn a degree and an education by way of FOOTBALL. My son isn't in college to play football. He's playing football to earn the scholarship money they'll give him for his education. It's only a means to an end, and the end is his degree. Scholarships offers are partnerships. The university athletics is a BUSINESS first, and my son's education is MY BUSINESS. When we signed those papers February 1, 2012, it was business partnership we agreed to for four years annual renewal contract.... and it said Croom, you keep your grades up and perform at this level playing football and we'll give you "X" amount of dollars, room and board, and meal plan. Hell if nothing else... feeding him alone was good for me. lol
But seriously, it reaffirms that Dave Hart and the Unversity of Tennessee is insistant on maintaining the intergrity of the university, and I commend and appreciate that. I would NOT want to have my son in an environment where the people don't give a damn about him as a person and think of him as a commodity.
Welcome to the Univeristy of Tennessee Butch Jones. Looks like you ended up with my baby anyway... :0)
