Austin Meek, here:
Oregon’s gamble on Adams might pay off in time. Right now, all the Ducks have is a graduate transfer who hasn’t graduated and distraction simmering in the background.
If you’re wondering how we got here, this is the short version. Sometime in the past week, Eastern Washington posted a list of its 2015 graduates. Heather Adams got her degree in social work. Alexander Adams got his in recreation management. Vernon Adams, according to this list, didn’t graduate.
I’m guessing Lorraine Davis has her fingers in this, one way or another.
Graduate applications go to the grad school, I presume?
In Internet years, this story is ancient news. Back on July 9th, this was all reported, with the additional info that he expected to finish his remaining math class in about two weeks from that point.
My impression when this came out last week was that it was simply a click-bait article. The Oregonian saw a tweet about his status, and knowing they would generate ad revenue, made an article just to tell us that nothing consequential was going on, and that there was no reason to assume or speculate anything regarding his status with the team, except that he might be delayed a couple weeks.
Sigh.
This is not “ancient news” and it’s not “click bait”.
Read here for a good summary of the tale as told in March:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2015/03/02/vernon-adams-quarterback-oregon-eastern-washington-college-football/24280561/
Then just try to imagine exactly why this is clearly a significant story on a few levels which includes recruiting practices (a la Altman), the ability of current coaches to develop the talent they have, and the need to *win* at top levels every year.
Normally, graduate applications go to the department or program though they’re subject to grad school approval–generally pro forma in my experience.. The grad school administers an “Interdisciplinary Studies: Individualized Program” Master’s program and, I believe, makes admissions decisions on that. My guess is that athletes who enroll as grad students use this “IS:IP” route which avoids the pesky issues of departmental acceptance. None of the sports page stories I read ever say what these particular grad students are actually studying. Nor do we hear if any of them actually earn a Master’s degree.
I hope they figure this out, and soon – Adams is a key part of the plan for the UO to win more Nobel Prizes…