When Randy Edsall became the Maryland head football coach, he was reportedly shocked at the state of academic progress in the Program. We knew the Terps had a shoddy academic record, but I'm not sure we knew it would be this bad. According to Jeff Barker at the Baltimore Sun, Maryland could lose as many as three football scholarships as a penalty for poor academic performance.
thletic department officials agreed to be interviewed Thursday and confirmed that Maryland learned in January that scholarships were at risk and sought a waiver. The NCAA declined the initial waiver request but has reopened the process. Key to Maryland's argument is that academic improvements have been made since 2009 and that the school has a new president, new athletic director, new football coach and new academic support director for the program.
Barker points out that the punishments stem from the 2009 season when the team finished 2-10. I have no doubt that Edsall will be able to improve the academic standards at Maryland, it might just take him a little time to make it happen. And it seems like he is starting from a pretty deep hole.