Montrell Dobbs Won't Meet UConn Qualifying Standards

[HartfordHank]

First of all we know that schools take athletes that don't meet the same criteria as a typical student. Of ocurse they also take artists and others with special skills too. Friend of ours who was a very good musician, had written a number of classical pieces, went to Brown. He didn't have either the grades or the SAT scores but he was a remarkable musician so they made an excpetion. Another one went ot UCONN because she played an instrument they needed for the University's orchestra and she played it and played well. And who can forget Nate Miles...But if a kid is going to Marshall it is likely he is not qualifying anywhere else. As epark said, Marshall is a saftey school for West Virginia...not exactly going to be confused with Princeton any time soon.

My daughter was attending an engineering camp at a local college about 10 years ago. Part of the last day was a meeting with the parents to explain the admissions process and what your child needed to be studying to get into engineering. At the time they received 5000 applications for 1500 spots. They divided the 5000 into three groups. The roughly top 1,000 who were going to be highly "recruited" by the school. The middle roughly 3,000 who they felt could be admitted to the school and succeed. The last group were kids that they felt did not have the tools to succeed at the school. Coaches and other organizations were able to select any person from the top two groups. If an athlete were in the top group admissions would give the coach as much support in recruiting that player as they could. This was a Division 3 school so athletic scholarships were not applicable. I am guessing UConn has similar groupings. Unfortunately he was not in either of the top groups.

 

[Dann]

wtf is going on here, this thread is boneyardtastic.

 

[freescooter]

UCONn does and pretty much always has accepted kids who are a stretch as far as academics are concerned. Nate Miles is probably Exhibits A, B and C, but I have no doubt there are others on various other teams. As long as it is kept in some level of check, I don't have an issue doing that. So if there is a guy isn't going to get accepted even though the coaching staff wants him, I have to believe that he is a huge stretch, not 15 points below the average SAT score. If he isn't going to be eligible at all, as now seems to be the case, I really don't have any issue and as bl says, I'm more concered about who else the staff is looking for as a tailback.

 

[CTFootball]

Okay, so let's make a bet. I will take Bob L's opinion - that Dobbs will be at Marshall next year, you take Dez's - that Dobbs will be in a community college.

I risk $1, and you risk $100. Deal?

Seriously, maybe its my math background - but your 100 times comment is completely absurd. Almost as absurd as page 2 in this thread when you said we should stop talking to Ansonia football players because of a 3 player sample size.

Agreed- a bit extreme on the "Ban Ansonia" camp. Uconn should continue to try to recruit every top player from CT, whether that person comes from a football factory or an "academic" school ...it is absurd to blacklist a future player who could be a stronger student because of the past black eyes. That is the equivalent of asking "Why would any college ever admit any student from Ansonia - they couldn't possibly have any good eggs in their basket." Totally ridiculaous.

BTW - I dont see an overload of top players being produed by the elite academic high schools in the state. Even if we were at a point where those schools provided a surplus of quality "student athletes" (ha ha), it would be absurd to bypass players from lower academic institutions (because they could be the exception).

And no, I did not go to Ansonia...I happened to graduate from a very strong private high school.

 

[Buffett10]

I don't know if any of you read the comments on dez's page but dobbs' mom wrote on there he was one point from qualifying because he took courses in high school that the NCAA doesn't consider a class. Also she said he is leaving Milford with 3 A's so people who jump down this kids throat saying he is doing well academically are morons. Get the facts before you jump on someone.

 

[Sean]

I don't know if any of you read the comments on dez's page but dobbs' mom wrote on there he was one point from qualifying because he took courses in high school that the NCAA doesn't consider a class. Also she said he is leaving Milford with 3 A's so people who jump down this kids throat saying he is doing well academically are morons. Get the facts before you jump on someone.

Didn't read this, but if he really is that close, its awfully frustrating to me to think that there isn't a way he could possibly fix it this spring.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I just read the blog piece being referneced.

It's interesting to note that fall 2012 semester is referenced in the blog piece, that's a long way away, and if a kid is already out for fall 2012 academically, well it says something.

I've been under the impression that this kid intended to enroll in January. But if he's already out for September academically? Ruh roh. If you can't raise a GPA high enough with a full load of classes by deadlines for the fall? How many times can you take SAT tests in a year? More than one. Ruh roh.

I'd like to see that documented in a more reliable kind of way than a blog comment. Not sure how, but it seems odd that he's already been ruled ineligible for the fall academically. Tells me that the kid has got a lot of work to do to go anywhere on a free ride, unless rules are being broken, or admission standards are pretty low.

I hope if that's accurate, that the kid really puts down the ball for while and just starts carrying only books, because he's got a long way to go to get anywhere academically.

Too bad. The kid can run. I'm not convinced that he's already out for September, he's got to be pretty low for that to be the case. But I've also got full confidence that none of this is a surprise to our coaching staff, and they've been ready and preparing to not have this kid all along, accordingly.

I'm also not sure if the second comment in the blog piece was really necessary. I don't like that comment at all. I'm quite sure that scholarship offers for an education at UConn are not something that gets "sold" or "bought", and the decision making is certainly not going to be influenced by anything other than what the coaching staff feels is best for the program.

http://blogs.courant.com/uconn_football/2011/11/uconn-rb-recruit-montrell-dobb.html

 

[businesslawyer]

I just read the blog piece being referneced.

It's interesting to note that fall 2012 semester is referenced in the blog piece, that's a long way away, and if a kid is already out for fall 2012 academically, well it says something.

I've been under the impression that this kid intended to enroll in January. But if he's already out for September academically? Ruh roh. If you can't raise a GPA high enough with a full load of classes by deadlines for the fall? How many times can you take SAT tests in a year? More than one. Ruh roh.

I'd like to see that documented in a more reliable kind of way than a blog comment. Not sure how, but it seems odd that he's already been ruled ineligible for the fall academically. Tells me that the kid has got a lot of work to do to go anywhere on a free ride, unless rules are being broken, or admission standards are pretty low.

I hope if that's accurate, that the kid really puts down the ball for while and just starts carrying only books, because he's got a long way to go to get anywhere academically.

Too bad. The kid can run. I'm not convinced that he's already out for September, he's got to be pretty low for that to be the case. But I've also got full confidence that none of this is a surprise to our coaching staff, and they've been ready and preparing to not have this kid all along, accordingly.

I'm also not sure if the second comment in the blog piece was really necessary. I don't like that comment at all. I'm quite sure that scholarship offers for an education at UConn are not something that gets "sold" or "bought", and the decision making is certainly not going to be influenced by anything other than what the coaching staff feels is best for the program.

http://blogs.courant.com/uconn_football/2011/11/uconn-rb-recruit-montrell-dobb.html

LOL. So he's taking courses at Ansonia that don't meet minimum standards to be counted by the NCAA as academic courses, and I'm being a jerk for thinking that recruiting at Ansonia isn't worth the time and effort. Yeah, o.k. (I am a jerk -- that's not the point -- and I'm not saying no way no how would I ever take a kid from Ansonia High School, but if you keep getting burned it's common sense to quit reaching towards the god damn fire).

 

[MidTown Husky]

http://blogs.courant.com/uconn_football/2011/11/uconn-rb-recruit-montrell-dobb.html

This last comment on the courant blog sounds like the work of CTFootball12...I'd recognize those run-on sentences anywhere. No caps lock though so it remains a mystery...

"first and foremost Montrell Dobbs is leaving Milford Academy with three A's he went up there and did what was asked of him and also what he was told to do. The problem was his high school transcripts he took classes that the ncaa doesn't consider. so he is one point away from qualifying for uconn and this should have been picked up on since june but it wasn't so now his dreams are shattered because of it and Montrell Dobbs as of this date 11/18/11 is still not registered with the ncaa clearing house. and yes he can go to jr college if wants to or another non bcs div1 school if he chooses that. so all hope is not lost my child will further his education wether he will end up at his dream school Uconn remains to be seen. this is as much a shock to him as it is to u #carry on"

 

[Sean]

Very curious what classes a school would offer that wouldn't count...

 

[Dann]

i hope Mont goes to a local JC this spring and gets into uconn after. or goes to umass thins spring and then transfers into uconn.

 

[Carl Spackler]

LOL. So he's taking courses at Ansonia that don't meet minimum standards to be counted by the NCAA as academic courses, and I'm being a jerk for thinking that recruiting at Ansonia isn't worth the time and effort. Yeah, o.k. (I am a jerk -- that's not the point -- and I'm not saying no way no how would I ever take a kid from Ansonia High School, but if you keep getting burned it's common sense to quit reaching towards the god damn fire).

the only way whatever is the problem in this situation gets cleaned up, is if somebody shines a spotlight on it.

If there are people at a CT high school that are cutting corners with academics when it can mess up the opportunity to get a higher education through athletics. somebody needs to shine a spotlight on it.

If there are people in te UConn system that are not sharp enough to pick up problems in academics in enrollment and qualification for SCHOLARSHIP athletes, then those kinds of things need to get a spotlight shined on them too.

The light is on, and this kids' future as a student and athlete at UConn are on the line.

I'm quite sure as educators, the coaching staff of this program is very much interested in fixing both ends of the problem here.

 

[epark88]

http://blogs.courant.com/uconn_football/2011/11/uconn-rb-recruit-montrell-dobb.html

This last comment on the courant blog sounds like the work of CTFootball12...I'd recognize those run-on sentences anywhere. No caps lock though so it remains a mystery...

"first and foremost Montrell Dobbs is leaving Milford Academy with three A's he went up there and did what was asked of him and also what he was told to do. The problem was his high school transcripts he took classes that the ncaa doesn't consider. so he is one point away from qualifying for uconn and this should have been picked up on since june but it wasn't so now his dreams are shattered because of it and Montrell Dobbs as of this date 11/18/11 is still not registered with the ncaa clearing house. and yes he can go to jr college if wants to or another non bcs div1 school if he chooses that. so all hope is not lost my child will further his education wether he will end up at his dream school Uconn remains to be seen. this is as much a shock to him as it is to u #carry on"

Apparently, that post is from the kid's mom...

 

[epark88]

the only way whatever is the problem in this situation gets cleaned up, is if somebody shines a spotlight on it.

If there are people at a CT high school that are cutting corners with academics when it can mess up the opportunity to get a higher education through athletics. somebody needs to shine a spotlight on it.

If there are people in te UConn system that are not sharp enough to pick up problems in academics in enrollment and qualification for SCHOLARSHIP athletes, then those kinds of things need to get a spotlight shined on them too.

The light is on, and this kids' future as a student and athlete at UConn are on the line.

I'm quite sure as educators, the coaching staff of this program is very much interested in fixing both ends of the problem here.

+1.

This is starting to look less like a Montrell Dobbs issue and more of an Ansonia High School issue. What exactly are those folks doing down there?...

 

[Carl Spackler]

When coach P came on, he said some things that I love to hear from an athletic coach. He said that just because he's a football caoch, and he's in charge of a football program, it doesn't mean that what he does is any different than any other branch of the university. The insititution is higher education. His subject is just football, while in other departments, it's chemisty, sociology, etc.

He opened up the facilities as a place of learning, like it never was done before. He talked about developing students and athletes, and being a resource for the state, as it's flagship university.

I fully expect that a highly prized recruit, if he's having trouble being admitted to the university, because his local high school approved underwater fire prevention certification as a graduation requirement that is applied to NCAA regulations?

I fully expect that the high school administration there, will be informed by the state's flagship university, taht they better get there duckING business in order. ON the other hand, if the problem here came because some lacky is collecting a paycheck from the university and reading the boneyard all day instead of actually going through every scholarship file with a fine toothed comb, then that's going to get duckING fixed too.

That's the kind of leadership, that we've got in this coaching staff, that we didn't have before.

And that's building recruiting pipelines. I hope that Dobbs is still coming in fall 2012, and this is just a hiccup.

 

[Carl Spackler]

BTW - I'm pissed off about this.

 

[freescooter]

If you've never been thorugh the NCAA clearing house process, it is usually pretty straight forward. The NCAA requires a certain number of high school credits in the major academic areas, math science, English, social sciences. But there are some specific courses and programs that you need to take (and pass obviously) to qualify. Adn there are a list of courses from just about every school that are not acceptable. You can go to the NCAA website and fidn your school, find the class. Usually they are less academic classes or remedial type things, so you don't get credit under english for a remedial class, for example. Or if the school offers Drivers Ed as they do in some states, those are not acceptable. Some types of classes which aren't deemed to be academically rigorous enough...I think there was a social studies class on law for the layman at one school I know for example. They revised it after a few years, made it more rigorous and now it is acceptable.

 

[metsfan2323]

Does anyone know why he can't go to school December - June and earn the credits he needs? Do school years end in November now?

 

[SAMCRO]

Very curious what classes a school would offer that wouldn't count...

Also very curious how this is just being discovered now... Would have thought/hoped someone in the HS Career/Guidance office, or I doon't know, maybe the Dean of students would have noticed this along the lines.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

this would be 2 4*commits in the staffs 1st year together that we cant get on campus. we didn't spend all that $$ to build duke football. wtf get in the game or dont play.

Agree. Either all or all out. Not the Yankee Conference anymore. And for the record, UConn is one injury away from having the RB position mirror the QB fiasco. What is it about UConn recruiting playmakers?

 

[sportsart]

Sean

Bizlaw has hired me to collect the money you owe him. (finger to nose pushing it sideways)

He'll only accept an unmarked crisp $1 bill and don't be wearing a wire. The bar frowns on this kind of criminal activity.

Go wait by the phone booth on the corner for further instructions. (roll phone booth movie here)

 

[sportsart]

Also very curious how this is just being discovered now... Would have thought/hoped someone in the HS Career/Guidance office, or I doon't know, maybe the Dean of students would have noticed this along the lines.

One would think Coach P and staff would have caught it. Then again maybe everyone new and hoped they could fix it by the end of the semester and just got word they couldn't.

 

[freescooter]

Agree. Either all or all out. Not the Yankee Conference anymore. And for the record, UConn is one injury away from having the RB position mirror the QB fiasco. What is it about UConn recruiting playmakers?

If the guy isn't eligible I'm not sure what the university can do about it. It isn't the first kid we've lost because he didn't meet academic requirements, though I thought a year of prep was supposed to address those deficiencies. But not taking a kid who doesn't qualify doesn't equal going back to the Yankee conference. I mean, if you look at the schools who had interest, then consider that marshall was the only other one to offer, you have to think either he was over-rated or his academics scared some others off. I don't happen to think he was overrated.

 

[HartfordHank]

I don't know if any of you read the comments on dez's page but dobbs' mom wrote on there he was one point from qualifying because he took courses in high school that the NCAA doesn't consider a class. Also she said he is leaving Milford with 3 A's so people who jump down this kids throat saying he is doing well academically are morons. Get the facts before you jump on someone.

If you read the book"The Blind Side" Micheal Ohr took classes online at BYU to eliminate classes he had either bad grades in or were not acceptable to the NCAA. Not sure without looking what they did to get him eligible but they were able to get him eligible. Not sure if it is to late for Dobbs to do the same.

 

[NEforceUConn]

I congratulate Thomas on his career at Yale. And I went to Trinity with an Ansonia football player, bright young man, who played for Trinity.

God rest his soul.

Nonetheless, recruiting is a game of using limited resources (coaches time, official visits, budgets, etc.) wisely. If you are repeatedly getting burned by one school, why in the world wouldn't you use limited resources differently.

On Dobbs - what does it mean one point short? Is that one class credit short, surely he could take one class between now and June?

Anyway if he can't get it done I did hear he's a very good bb player - so Duke will most likely take him.