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Show air foe cié The Salt Lake Tribune COLLEGE FOOTBALL Sunday, March 11, 2001 Crowton Cracks Down on Academic Performance Policy forces players into classrooms andstudyhall BY MICHAEL C. LEWIS “THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE gra Yanateal ach to impart the fundamentals ofhis recat teaae ening eile next month. But in barely three months on the job, he already has made clear another priority: grades. Inspired by a system he used under Tom SUNDAYSPECIAL / BYU FOOTBALL 65 percent reoforthat185 inconingclase" And s overall graduation rate of72percent, it's not as high as Crowton believes it can be. itdttn bedindarinall he says. aoe that nd Crowion bas insiteply requires players maintain a oe point average to avoid a mandatory study hall and strict academic monitoring. Although coaches keep track ofall players, they andthe staffat the Student Athlete Center — created nearly two years ago for all athletes, but largely in response to off-the-field offootball players — pay particular attention to those who need help. Crowton hired E.J. Caffaroasanacademic pressed, but dent the new system can improve football Pavers! grade-point averages and graduation rock?” When. Wilson, who is answer no, Caffaro tells “fa playersoushow si ‘las the point dy hall, he has heard similar the new system, probably because it's more than under formercoach LaVell Edwards. ee ee 2.49 threshold must meet she -y Monday morning at 7 to review theircourse work and plan the week ahead, for example, and Wilson says players no longer can slough through study hall the way they once could because there is so much supervision. ofthe players wouldn’t actually, like, do homework,” Wilson says. sit on the computer and play with the Internet and misses class or study hall again, the assess even more workouts or academic tasks, and call his parents. A third inwarrants a: for more penalties, with the possibility ofbeing losing “We've had some strike twos,” Caffaro says. “But we haven't had any strike threes.” Ideally, Crowton and Warner would like the ’s graduation — as well as that ofall other sports at BYU— to reach 90 percentin the next five years. In fact, are even contacting former players who have not such as quarterback and not get any work done... .Now, youhave Mahon and defensive back Vai Sikahema, to coach to oversee the program. Llprhe adaberySoil relates Ricks College and Snow College, Caffaro TES Warne soulatood the ShatentAdete todo . And ifthey don’t, there are The first time a player misses class or study hall an unex reason, hemustendure Center, such as former Cougar safety Eddie Se ee ena “and I'm just trying to keep that up.” Sampson, an academic adviser, to make sure players are toward a degree. Caffaro spends his 12days: tutors, teee ee track ofwhich ones have missed ana know ao et Repeats ey Crowton. The coaches also send letter to the player's parents, explaining what pened and reminding them that“we are focused on helping your son. . . graduate on time.” Checking Up:And don’t think Caffaro ofEdwards, Crowton is trying hard to avoid the perception that he’s implementing his new program because ofsome historical dearth ofacademic help under the leg‘coach. “I don’t think there was anything wrong Skoog Trak: Info, Caiar has folder letailing the class schedules Sea —outofabout110, including walk-ons — whose GPAis below 2.49. his class schedules and runners, he compilesa daily “missing in action”list, and he contacts oeoffender to find out why he wasn't in cause they've done a greatjob,” Crowton says. “Tm not saying the way they did itbefore was Fe Tee ates oSometines, aplaye wilinsist he really was in and Caffaro allows him to bring ES ee at by sending “runners” also jeard every strained varlation of‘rm aickin the world. And aren vatwant thee thing fr ywton says. “And the best thing home payer iso dowel in school and do well on the football field.” Doingboth rarity incalege otal, nut have lacked breathtaking rest Although the current team’s cumulative grade-point average is a respectable ane according to Paul Warner,the director of BYU StudentAthlete Center,only 11 one pr football players who enrolled at BYU onschol- four hours ofsupervised study hall each week, and thestaffmotiitorson rile attendance arshipin 1993 have graduated. That's45.8 percent, according to the way the NCAA computes to atest pinveca as thers luation rates, and the statistics are almost tical for the class that enrolled in 1994. But the Cougars would preferto discount net whoquit the team ortransfer, Warner “because we can't control whata kid does wes hetransfers.”Ifallowed to figure gradu- homer covaacbace every day ‘Thatpart rubs some players the wrong wat y. Senioroffensive tackle Aaron McCubbins told the student newspaper The Daily Universe that“it’s frustrating to be treated like a fresh- man when I’ve beenhere forfour, going on Jet them know they will doall they can to help themearn their ‘One thing LaVell has always done is have _agreat rapport with players,” Crowton says, doesn’t know when players miss class. With hahahaect cnhenybry heed bad ornot good.It’s just different.” Crowton says he picked up most ofhis ideas Boston College in the early 1990s, and has inthenoe be ok as rot. tiedmanyoftemat Garg ech and Loa siana Tech. All of them fit into his philosophy Se bets cane ss one Dataaniy,elecsive football program. way ofgetting to the truth of it. “Task them, ‘Are youso sick thatif we had fourth-and-1 on the goal line onthe last play of the game, you would go to the coach andsay, take meout? Are youtoo sick to carry the that education should be “a real priority” ina “When I look moms anddads in the eye and say, ‘Tm going to do everything in mypower to help your son graduate,’ ” Crowton says, “I BYU's new head coach Gary Crowton talks with QB Brandon Doman during spring practice Saturday in Provo.It was Crowton’sfirst practice since taking over wantthem to feel like I'm doing that.” for legendary coach LaVell Edwards. e-mail: mcl@sltrib.com BYU Football Undergoing a Spring Cleaning ‘THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Quarterback Bret Engemann did notreally take part as the Bri, Young Cougars opened their spring football drills under new coach Gary aoe on Saturday. probably won't do Fs more than conditioning work during the remaining13 practice sessions before the annual Blue & White Spring GameonApril 7. He'sstill recovering from aecee a lowing an eye fered in B Joss at Syracuse last oe him in the mix mix, Crowton said Brandon Doman will get reps as the starter, with Charlie Peterson the backup. Running back Marcus Whalenalso will miss spring prac- tice, after his arrest last month on shoplifting charges. Yet the Cougs will have junior college transfers Spencer Nead, Ryan Keele and John Denneyonthefield for spring drills, along with some new technology that Crowton has imported. Quarterbacks will watch a huge, 25-second play clock to get used to working under game pressure, and wide receivers will spend formerly idle moments catching passes from an machine,similar to those used by tennis and baseball players. Soon, the ee Spinseene a DabBS + pins eatie coaches will be evaluating film using a nen $250,000 digital system. ineSolf carts, however, have been re- ti Having replaced retired coach LaVell Edwards three months ago, Crowton-already has shown to be a ae visibly hands-on coach, and he promised to return the Cougars adays of the wide-open passing to attack. He and offensive coordinator Mike Borich will spend the spring working primarily with the offense, trying to get players and fellow coaches alike comfortable with their new offense, whichisstill under construction. And though it might seem early for spring practice, keep in mind: The New Mexico Lobos already havefin. ished their spring workouts. The Cougars plan scrimmages for March 16 and 29. Football is not a matter of life or death. Actually, it’s much more serious than that. __aoe CUSTOMCHOICE’NOW COMES WITH MORE FEATURES THANEVER, INCLUDING TALKING CALL WAITING. 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