Weekly Rant: Major College Sports Don’t Prioritize Education? No Kidding

By JOHN MOOREHOUSE

I had a column mostly written and ready. And then Carson Beck went and opened his mouth again.

As we chronicled earlier this season, Beck has a habit of saying dumb things. Tonight, Beck and Miami take on Indiana for the CFP National Championship. And, in advance of that game on Saturday, a reporter asked Beck if he went to class the day before.

Here was Beck’s response:

“No class. I graduated two years ago. Obviously I’ve been working towards other degrees now that I’ve gotten to Miami, but these programs take a little longer than just a year to finish. Obviously I’m not enrolling again next semester. So I’ll be done after this season.”

Beck’s response quickly went viral — but only the first two sentences mind you: “No class. I graduated two years ago.” Do an online search for “Carson Beck graduate” and you’ll see all kinds of articles excoriating Beck for not going to class in the first week of the semester mere days before the final college football game he ever will play. If you hold your device real close to your ear and listen hard enough, you can hear the collective gasp of shock as outrage merchants online clutch their proverbial pearls and proclaim the death of college football and the student athlete.

Let’s unpack things a bit further, shall we?

According to the University of Miami’s website. the last day to register or add a course is January 21, this Wednesday, two days after the championship game. Why in the world would Beck, who is wrapping up his seventh (!) year of college football, stick around for another semester?

Secondly, sports postseasons overlap with the end of the academic year at both the high school and college levels. The College World Series takes place in June, long after commencement ceremonies. High School state tournaments in both Tennessee and Virginia happen when graduation has already come and gone. Those matriculated seniors still get to participate, even though they’re not even technically students at their respective institutions any longer. I’ve seen players who already had their undergraduate degree, and had trouble putting together a sentence during an interview.

None of that matters to the outrage merchants. They’re standing on their virtual street corner and screaming that the student-athlete is dead.

I hate to break it to you, but that concept was already in rough shape, and it has been for many years, long before Beck’s latest verbal gaffe.

I don’t remember similar outcry when Matt Leinart came back for a fifth year at Southern Cal and the only class he had to take was ballroom dancing. Were we this aghast at Stetson Bennett, who somehow went through six years at Georgia and never got a degree? Not to mention that, for decades, athletic departments and their academic advisors have prioritized keeping athletes eligible above all. Ever wonder why, as you look through the roster of a certain football team, you see the same majors coming up time and time again? Players often get routed to those majors because they’re considered to be easy, or because the class schedule lines up nicely with practices and workouts. I could tell you dozens of stories of athletes who get discouraged from pursuing degrees in more challenging disciplines. And, of course, whatever major you choose, the classes can’t conflict with the athletic schedule.

But tell me again about how education is the top priority.

And let’s not forget the story of Myron Rolle. Anyone remember him? He’s the Florida State defensive back who got his undergrad degree in 2/12 years, became a Rhodes Scholar, and is now a brain surgeon. There’s a great story about a player with his priorities in the proper order, right?

His defensive coordinator criticized him for focusing too much on academics and not enough on football.

Beck’s “no class” comment just goes on the pile of dumb things he has said, but at least this one had a nugget of truth to it.