Are you still talking about Bryce Thompson?

Think about this...the only signable offer Bryce Thompson had on his Signing Day was Marshall. South Carolina held the spot for him in case he could get his off-field stuff in a good place, but it never happened. His academic issues in high school were well-known, and he attended multiple high schools. Tennessee was desperate for talent and took him. Obviously, it has worked out on the field (which isn't a surprise for anyone who watched him in high school).

This post was edited on 7/8/19 at 7:37 am

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Posted by KellerChrystFan

Member since Sep 2018

9630 posts

Posted on 7/8/19 at 10:10 pm to TideWarrior

Nah - you have no idea what you're talking about. Jimmy 'Booger Eater' Cheek and DiPietro made it their life's goal to make it a pain in the arse for borderline athletes to get admitted. The AD had to undergo a complete overhaul over the last 3-4 years, including its relationship with academic brass at UT over the last 5 years. Pretty sure we also whiffed on a few coaches solely because of the AD/academic relationship and the lack of support.

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Posted by TideWarrior

Asheville/Chapel Hill NC

Member since Sep 2009

11825 posts

Posted on 7/10/19 at 7:46 am to KellerChrystFan

quote:
Nah - you have no idea what you're talking about. Jimmy 'Booger Eater' Cheek and DiPietro made it their life's goal to make it a pain in the arse for borderline athletes to get admitted. The AD had to undergo a complete overhaul over the last 3-4 years, including its relationship with academic brass at UT over the last 5 years. Pretty sure we also whiffed on a few coaches solely because of the AD/academic relationship and the lack of support.

I am referencing when Fulmer was at the top of his game. He could get anyone in and keep them in until the NCAA started to investigate academic fraud in the program shortly after the 99 NC. After the investigation was completed the college no longer allowed him and the football program to oversee the academic side of the players.

quote:
UT English professor Linda Bensel-Meyers, who was outspoken about the academic abuses and the football program's undue influence over academics, said one tutor wrote a paper for a player who “basically couldn’t read or write.” Following the investigation, UT took away the athletic department’s authority over academic-support services for athletes and put it under the university provost.

That shows that Fulmer had no issues of getting players into the program either. The college made it difficult for the program to go after anyone they wanted after that. Most successful programs have always been able to go after high risk academic players who probably have no reason to be in college but this derailed that for the program and really as you pointed out been an issue for the program since then.

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