Stetson Bennett

[Buzzbomb]

7 years of college, and he didn’t graduate?
How did he not get an Associates Degree, while progressing towards graduation? Maybe he received the two-year Undergrad., although the social media news this week, isn’t mentioning that tidbit either?

 

[B Lifsey]

7 years of college, and he didn’t graduate?
How did he not get an Associates Degree, while progressing towards graduation? Maybe he received the two-year Undergrad., although the social media news this week, isn’t mentioning that tidbit either?

UGA (or GT) award any associate degrees.

 

[orientalnc]

7 years of college, and he didn’t graduate?
How did he not get an Associates Degree, while progressing towards graduation? Maybe he received the two-year Undergrad., although the social media news this week, isn’t mentioning that tidbit either?

He spent one year (2017) as a walk-on at uga, never took a snap, and transferred to Jones College, where he earned his AA and played one season (2018). He then returned to uga and played football for four seasons (like everyone else, 2020 was a free COVID year) apparently without finishing his degree. While I think it is unusual to spend six years in college and not earn a degree (while also being a student in good standing) it's not unheard of. Especially when transferring and/or changing your major.

 

[forensicbuzz]

He spent one year (2017) as a walk-on at uga, never took a snap, and transferred to Jones College, where he earned his AA and played one season (2018). He then returned to uga and played football for four seasons (like everyone else, 2020 was a free COVID year) apparently without finishing his degree. While I think it is unusual to spend six years in college and not earn a degree (while also being a student in good standing) it's not unheard of. Especially when transferring and/or changing your major.

That’s 4 years to finish the final 2 years, while maintaining progress towards graduation (an NCAA requirement to maintain playing eligibility). It would be interesting to see the mechanics of how this happened.

And he still hasn’t finished.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

So weary of the double standards used by the NCAA. Long before Tech had to vacate a season over a shirt, certain elite schools were stock piling players over roster limits, creating false academic credits, and paying recruits under the table. But, whatever was good for Alabama, Georgia, and a few other schools, was considered good for college football.

But fans of these blue blood institutions are deliriously happy and oblivious. Makes me hate college athletics sometimes.

 

[orientalnc]

That’s 4 years to finish the final 2 years, while maintaining progress towards graduation (an NCAA requirement to maintain playing eligibility). It would be interesting to see the mechanics of how this happened.

And he still hasn’t finished.

I Liked your post, then talked to my college professor wife this morning over breakfast about Bennett. She said lots of kids spend four or more years in college with only two years of credits. And many of them never get a degree. A lot of 18 year old kids enroll at a school to major in their favorite HS subject. Hey, I was good in math, I will be a math major!!! Then the reality of Calculus sets in firmly and they switch to the Business School to major in Bus Admin or Management, only to discover Statistics and that ugly Calculus again. So, they switch to History or Pol. Sc. hoping the College Algebra class they passed three years ago will be enough. By this time they have laundered enough credits to have a degree, but are still a year or more away from Graduation. The fact that Bennett spent a year at Jones College, maybe not taking a full load because CC athletics is much more forgiving, could mean he banked very little while there. And, maybe it was only one semester.

I agree that the NCAA does very little to monitor and enforce their rules regarding academic progress, there are some legit cases where progress is difficult to define. That said, I cannot imagine someone staying eligible at GT for six years and not having a degree.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

I Liked your post, then talked to my college professor wife this morning over breakfast about Bennett. She said lots of kids spend four or more years in college with only two years of credits. And many of them never get a degree. A lot of 18 year old kids enroll at a school to major in their favorite HS subject. Hey, I was good in math, I will be a math major!!! Then the reality of Calculus sets in firmly and they switch to the Business School to major in Bus Admin or Management, only to discover Statistics and that ugly Calculus again. So, they switch to History or Pol. Sc. hoping the College Algebra class they passed three years ago will be enough. By this time they have laundered enough credits to have a degree, but are still a year or more away from Graduation. The fact that Bennett spent a year at Jones College, maybe not taking a full load because CC athletics is much more forgiving, could mean he banked very little while there. And, maybe it was only one semester.

I agree that the NCAA does very little to monitor and enforce their rules regarding academic progress, there are some legit cases where progress is difficult to define. That said, I cannot imagine someone staying eligible at GT for six years and not having a degree.

Of course your better half is correct (I taught for four years in college) but being a professional student (as we used to call them) did not allow you to hang around the athletic department indefinitely. But times have changed and I understand that.

On a side note I find myself reflecting on the origins of college football and how the issue of ringers and non-students filling out a roster was not unheard of. We may be coming full circle on that.

 

[forensicbuzz]

I Liked your post, then talked to my college professor wife this morning over breakfast about Bennett. She said lots of kids spend four or more years in college with only two years of credits. And many of them never get a degree. A lot of 18 year old kids enroll at a school to major in their favorite HS subject. Hey, I was good in math, I will be a math major!!! Then the reality of Calculus sets in firmly and they switch to the Business School to major in Bus Admin or Management, only to discover Statistics and that ugly Calculus again. So, they switch to History or Pol. Sc. hoping the College Algebra class they passed three years ago will be enough. By this time they have laundered enough credits to have a degree, but are still a year or more away from Graduation. The fact that Bennett spent a year at Jones College, maybe not taking a full load because CC athletics is much more forgiving, could mean he banked very little while there. And, maybe it was only one semester.

I agree that the NCAA does very little to monitor and enforce their rules regarding academic progress, there are some legit cases where progress is difficult to define. That said, I cannot imagine someone staying eligible at GT for six years and not having a degree.

While I agree with your college professor wife in what you wrote above, that's not relevant to this situation, and my college professor wife concurs.

He has to make progress toward graduation. Changing majors doesn't restart the clock. To be eligible to play as a senior, he had to be a senior. He already had an associate's degree after his 1st 2 years, so he only had 2 years to go. No changing majors and having to make progress towards graduation. After the next 4 years, he still isn't graduated. So, while what your college professor wife said is true for most students who show up as a freshman and stay at the same school with no progress requirements to maintain eligibility, my college professor wife says "no way" to Stetson Bennett.

 

[orientalnc]

While I agree with your college professor wife in what you wrote above, that's not relevant to this situation, and my college professor wife concurs.

He has to make progress toward graduation. Changing majors doesn't restart the clock. To be eligible to play as a senior, he had to be a senior. He already had an associate's degree after his 1st 2 years, so he only had 2 years to go. No changing majors and having to make progress towards graduation. After the next 4 years, he still isn't graduated. So, while what your college professor wife said is true for most students who show up as a freshman and stay at the same school with no progress requirements to maintain eligibility, my college professor wife says "no way" to Stetson Bennett.

This is essentially the point I made as well. The NCAA punted academic progress to members in a self reporting system of enforcement.

 

[4shotB]

While I agree with your college professor wife in what you wrote above, that's not relevant to this situation, and my college professor wife concurs.

He has to make progress toward graduation. Changing majors doesn't restart the clock. To be eligible to play as a senior, he had to be a senior. He already had an associate's degree after his 1st 2 years, so he only had 2 years to go. No changing majors and having to make progress towards graduation. After the next 4 years, he still isn't graduated. So, while what your college professor wife said is true for most students who show up as a freshman and stay at the same school with no progress requirements to maintain eligibility, my college professor wife says "no way" to Stetson Bennett.

While your post may be technically correct, I will say it is based on an assumption that the rules matter. Many of us are skeptical about this part. They appear to the casual viewer to be more guidelines or casual suggestions similar to how some politicians interpret the Constitution or some people who refer to themselves as Christians view the Bible or most drivers feel about speed limits.

 

[orientalnc]

While I agree with your college professor wife in what you wrote above, that's not relevant to this situation, and my college professor wife concurs.

He has to make progress toward graduation. Changing majors doesn't restart the clock. To be eligible to play as a senior, he had to be a senior. He already had an associate's degree after his 1st 2 years, so he only had 2 years to go. No changing majors and having to make progress towards graduation. After the next 4 years, he still isn't graduated. So, while what your college professor wife said is true for most students who show up as a freshman and stay at the same school with no progress requirements to maintain eligibility, my college professor wife says "no way" to Stetson Bennett.

About 30 years ago the Georgia BOR changed the Comm College curriculum of state supported 2-year schools to align with the 1st two years of every 4-year college in the system (except Ga Tech). But, most states do not do that. It works in GA because the state has Voc Ed schools for students who have no intention of a four year degree. Mississippi is like NC where both threads are merged into every 2-year school. Jones County College (where Bennett played for a year) could have enrolled Bennett and allowed him to play without taking a single college level class. And, he could have earned an AA. I am not implying that is what happened. But the CC programs in MS are not systemically aligned with uga. It is possible Bennett had very little toward a degree when he returned to uga.

 

[forensicbuzz]

About 30 years ago the Georgia BOR changed the Comm College curriculum of state supported 2-year schools to align with the 1st two years of every 4-year college in the system (except Ga Tech). But, most states do not do that. It works in GA because the state has Voc Ed schools for students who have no intention of a four year degree. Mississippi is like NC where both threads are merged into every 2-year school. Jones County College (where Bennett played for a year) could have enrolled Bennett and allowed him to play without taking a single college level class. And, he could have earned an AA. I am not implying that is what happened. But the CC programs in MS are not systemically aligned with uga. It is possible Bennett had very little toward a degree when he returned to uga.

Then he wasn't eligible to play when he returned? Because progress towards graduation "is an important rule," right?

 

[forensicbuzz]

While your post may be technically correct, I will say it is based on an assumption that the rules matter. Many of us are skeptical about this part. They appear to the casual viewer to be more guidelines or casual suggestions similar to how some politicians interpret the Constitution or some people who refer to themselves as Christians view the Bible or most drivers feel about speed limits.

I'm not sure if I should be offended by this part of your comment. DM me with what you mean by that, please.

 

[4shotB]

I'm not sure if I should be offended by this part of your comment. DM me with what you mean by that, please.

I don't think the bolded comment is any different in context than the other two comparisons (Constitution, speed limits) unless you view religion as some sort of "hot button" topic. I certainly would not look to be offended but you obviously have the right and the choice to do so. You also have the option to report this post if you feel slighted in some way.

 

[forensicbuzz]

I don't think the bolded comment is any different in context than the other two comparisons (Constitution, speed limits) unless you view religion as some sort of "hot button" topic. I certainly would not look to be offended but you obviously have the right and the choice to do so. You also have the option to report this post if you feel slighted in some way.

I'm not offended (yet ), but what you coupled it with has a specific connotation to me and I was interested in what you meant. I DM'd you.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

While your post may be technically correct, I will say it is based on an assumption that the rules matter. Many of us are skeptical about this part. They appear to the casual viewer to be more guidelines or casual suggestions similar to how some politicians interpret the Constitution or some people who refer to themselves as Christians view the Bible or most drivers feel about speed limits.

Ha! The Ten Suggestions.

 

[orientalnc]

Ha! The Ten Suggestions.

Thou shalt not bear false witness is very popular right now. But, not with everyone.