LFN: Diversifying through football

[Lehigh Football Nation]

A lengthy blog about diversity numbers in football:

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com

Lehigh is mentioned in the underlying article, as is Furman. Articles like this really raise my hackles.

[patssle]

Your damned whatever you do.

Recruit too many black people, people bitch.
Don't recruit enough black people, people bitch.

[ngineer]

Excellent article LFN. Thought provoking. Disconcerting about some of the comments by some of the 'researchers'. I agree there's always someone looking to throw arrows and stirring the pot.

[bison137]

Some of this is interesting but some of the numbers are misleading/wrong.

For example, Bucknell is shown as having 11 black players when their roster has had at least 20-25+ black players for each of the past few years. There are two possible reasons for this: (1) the NCAA report only shows players who are receiving athletically-based aid. Only about 60% of Bucknell football players fall into this category; (2) the race of the players is self-reported, and some players who are African-American -but less than 100% - list their race as "other".

Also, the number of "black" students in the schools is understated by the use of the "other" category by some students of mixed race. For example, Bucknell has 44 male students who fall into the "other" category, a number of whom are probably of part African-American descent. To be in the "other" category, you must not be white, black, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, American Indian, Alaska native, or non-resident alien. Which basically leaves nothing for the "other" category except for mixed race students or those who felt like checking that box for no real reason.

[813Jag]

Some of this is interesting but some of the numbers are misleading/wrong.

For example, Bucknell is shown as having 11 black players when their roster has had at least 20-25+ black players for each of the past few years. There are two possible reasons for this: (1) the NCAA report only shows players who are receiving athletically-based aid. Only about 60% of Bucknell football players fall into this category; (2) the race of the players is self-reported, and some players who are African-American -but less than 100% - list their race as "other".

Also, the number of "black" students in the schools is understated by the use of the "other" category by some students of mixed race. For example, Bucknell has 44 male students who fall into the "other" category, a number of whom are probably of part African-American descent. To be in the "other" category, you must not be white, black, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, American Indian, Alaska native, or non-resident alien. Which basically leaves nothing for the "other" category except for mixed race students or those who felt like checking that box for no real reason.
Not to get off topic but is Marcello Trigg still at Bucknell?

[JohnStOnge]

There shouldn't be any fuss at all. Obviously, being good at football is a factor in recruiting football players. Blacks are disproportionately represented among good football players. But they are disproportionately under represented among the top college applicants according to the way such things are measured. And the more selective the admissions criteria become, the more disproportionately under represented they are. So you should expect to see exactly what they're describing.

[bison137]

Not to get off topic but is Marcello Trigg still at Bucknell?


As far as I know. He was the starter at QB for much of the season and is certainly expected to start next year. Andrew Lair, the other possible starter, left the program at midseason when he wasn't seeing much PT.

[813Jag]

As far as I know. He was the starter at QB for much of the season and is certainly expected to start next year. Andrew Lair, the other possible starter, left the program at midseason when he wasn't seeing much PT.
That's great, he was a great QB here in Tampa. Good kid.

[DFW HOYA]

I think another disturbing number would be the number of black athletes in a school not in football or men's basketball. The efforts to recruit black student athletes in other sports (with or without scholarships) is definitely lacking.