The All-Academic U

Throughout the recruiting process, I often argued with fans of other schools on how the University of Miami turns away a lot of talent due to the fact that The U is a tough school to get into academically. While the NCAA allows a "sliding scale" (where a lower GPA can be offset by a higher SAT/ACT score or vice versa), Miami has absolute minimums a student must reach.

Of course, our wonderful press coverage paints us as a bunch of uneducated thugs, and everyone not a 'Cane gobbles it up. I know from my sitemeter stats that I get a lot of hits for searches of "Miami Hurricanes graduation rate" or "Miami Hurricanes arrest record" or something of the like. I hope when the traffic detours my way, they get a little education:

With all the bad press The U gets from the national media outlets, you'd expect them to throw the program the occasional bone with some good coverage. Nah.

It was announced over the weekend that the University of Miami led the ACC with the most student athletes on the All-Academic Team. G Andrew Bain, OT Jason Fox, TE Greg Olsen, PK Jon Peattie, S Kenny Phillips, LB Darryl Sharpton, WR Sam Sheilds and C Anthony Wollschlager were the eight Canes who were honored.

Miami's eight selection trumped both Boston College and Duke, two programs thought to be academic powerhouses. The Eagles and Blue Devils had six each, with Florida State next in line with their four.

To be eligible, the player must have earned a 3.00 grade point average for the fall semester or have held down a 3.00 cumulative average during his academic career.

"I guess we're not a football factory anymore. We're an academic factory now," said head coach Randy Shannon. "You have to give a lot of credit to our academic staff. This university and football program attract a lot of great student-athletes that will be successful in life, and we are proud of that."

I wouldn't go as far as calling The U an 'academic factory' but Shannon's point is well taken. Miami does place a priority on academics and even football players are expected to hold down their own in the classroom, as well as on the field.

In 2005, the University of Miami recorded an 87% NCAA Football Graduation Rate. The U has exceeded the average (70% graduation rate) among football student athletes in nine of the past 15 seasons and has exceeded the national graduation rate for American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) member schools 13 of 15 years.

Miami's 84.2% AFCA graduation rate in 2004 absolutely dwarfed the national average of 58%.

Choke on that critics and haters.