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Penn State football graduation rate third-highest among public ...
Penn State Live, PA - 20 hours ago
University Park, Pa. -- The outstanding graduation performance by Penn State's student-athletes, 83 percent according to the recent NCAA graduation rate report, is further accentuated by the efforts of the Nittany Lion football team, which has the third-highest graduation rate (83 percent) among the nation’s public institutions that play Division I-A football.

Compiled by Penn State from the "2006 NCAA Division I Graduation Rates Report," Coach Joe Paterno's team had the seventh-highest graduation rate overall among all of the nation's 119 Division I-A programs, including the best among Big Ten Conference institutions. Kent State (86 percent) and Nebraska (84 percent) were the only public institutions with a rate higher than Penn State's.

Northwestern (79 percent) and Iowa (72) were second and third, respectively, among Big Ten football teams. The national average is 55 percent.

The Nittany Lions’ 83 percent federal graduation rate also is third-highest among the 64 schools playing in a 2006-07 bowl game. Boston College (92 percent) and Nebraska were the only bowl teams with a higher graduation rate than Penn State, which will meet No. 17 Tennessee in the Outback Bowl on New Year’s Day.

Thu, 14 Dec 2006 15:49:00 GMT

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[Lefty Noob]

Impressive totals - tops in the Big Ten and 7th nationally. What do you guys think about this?

[njpsufan]

Think it speaks volumes of the quality of school PSU is. Makes me even prouder knowing I went there. Paterno makes us not only a great football program but a place that places an emphasis on education. There are too many other schools out there that just care about winning and not enough about what happens to the players that don't become pros. I would love to see OSU's grad rate.

[Lefty Noob]

I agree, njpsufan. JoePa's everything that's good about the game, all wrapped up in one package. Hard to believe there are some people trying to push him out the door, isn't it? As far as I'm concerned, he can coach the Nittany Lions till the day he dies.

[njpsufan]

As painful as it is for me to say... I do think he should step down. Now hear me out, I think JoePa is a great human being. As you said, he is everything that is great in the game and nothing can ever take that away. His legacy as a great coach and a humanitarian is etched in stone. However..... his coaching style has been passed by. Pro set offenses, west coast offense, you name it.... Joe still thinks the reverse is a great play. Maybe, but not at the 15 yd line! He needs to pass the ball to Tom Bradley, a guy who has guided the D for 26 yrs and is well respected by the players. Look no further then Alabama after Bear Bryant died to see what has happened to their program. Tom Bradley would continue in Joe's tradition, while moving the football playing side into the 21st century.

[Lefty Noob]

Hmm... maybe your right about the game passing him by, but I still say he's earned the right to stay as long as he wants and step down when he wants. I thought I heard the other day that Penn State tried to bring in Mount Union coach Larry Kehres to serve as an assistant and be the heir apparent to JoePa, but he turned them down. Any truth to that?

[njpsufan]

Can't pretend to know stuff I don't know. I am on the alumni board and on the presidents trust, and while informally we have discussed the issue, it is a decision that will be made mostly by Gram Spanier and Tim Curley. However if I was a betting man, I would say it goes to Tom Bradley, they will not go outside the PSU family.

[Griz74]

bRADS HAS BEEN AT PSU FOR 26 YEARS BUT NOT RUNNING THE d. hOW QUICKLY WE FORGET SANDUSKEY. I agree Bradley should eventuallly take over however, don't forget he has taken time to get the D where it is now. Several years we had some eventual nfl d stars who did not gel under Brads leadership. I love PSU, but I think Joe has learned to delegate more and is still in tune with the kids. He's got only a few years at best. Word is this injury has taken it's toll.