[stupac2]

My assertion is there will be more Ben Edwards types if the academic bar for football scholarships at the major football factories rises.

Eventually, maybe, but I think the reason there are so few of those types to begin with is due to factors like endemic poverty in the south (which is where most of this talent comes from). Increasing standards won't change that.

What will happen if standards rise is that the kids who can't clear the bar will just drop out of the pool, so the overall talent will decline. Stanford will get basically the same admits as before, but everyone else's will get worse. Also you'd remove a means of advancement for a lot of poor kids, which seems kind of mean.

[stupac2]

My assertion is there will be more Ben Edwards types if the academic bar for football scholarships at the major football factories rises.

Eventually, maybe, but I think the reason there are so few of those types to begin with is due to factors like endemic poverty in the south (which is where most of this talent comes from). Increasing standards won't change that.

What will happen if standards rise is that the kids who can't clear the bar will just drop out of the pool, so the overall talent will decline. Stanford will get basically the same admits as before, but everyone else's will get worse. Also you'd remove a means of advancement for a lot of poor kids, which seems kind of mean.