Hey, Thad - Add this scholar to the roster ASAP
Ken Gordon reported in today's Dispatch that Ohio State could be punished as early as next season because of low scores on the recently released Academic Progress Report. I won't pretend to know the in's and out's of this report but the elimination of the 'squad size adjustment' rule next year could find the Buckeyes short a scholarship. While it's good news the NCAA does not penalize schools for players leaving early as long as they're academically eligible when they leave, there's no guarantee that Conley, Cook and Oden will achieve that status upon exiting the university. Apparently, 'Quan and Cook are still in school but if Oden withdraws and ends up ineligible at the end of the quarter, it could cost the Buckeyes.
In other news, the NCAA rules committee announced today they've recommended the three point line be moved back to 20 feet, 9 inches beginning with the 2008-09 season. The three point line was brought to the college game 20 years ago at 19 feet 9 inches in an effort to free up driving lanes by forcing defenses to extend on the perimeter. Personally, I dont see how anyone could argue the positive impact of the three point line being added and moving it back another foot seems like a natural progression. The change will force defenses to further extend and hopefully lead to a slow return of the now extinct mid-range jumper. The change still requires approval from the Playing Rules Oversight Committee but that appears to be nothing more than a formality.
