@vu72 The current Valpo acceptance rate is 89% according to U.S. News. Average SAT range for applicants is 1070-1270. A kid with a 3.0 GPA in a non-vocational program with Bs in maybe an AP class or two will in all likelihood be scoring within the SAT average and is pretty much guaranteed acceptance. In other words, Valpo is no longer even close to being the selective, private institution we used to remember it being.
I may be wrong here (somehow it’s happened before!) but it seems like the recruits we’re getting are just a little on the lower gpa level. Witness Tye. The kid is a rocket but carries a 3.0 gpa. Can that cut it at Valpo or are we setting ourselves up for a revolving door due to academics?
This post on academics may go down as the dumbest post in the history of this board. Congratulations!
@vu72 The current Valpo acceptance rate is 89% according to U.S. News. Average SAT range for applicants is 1070-1270. A kid with a 3.0 GPA in a non-vocational program with Bs in maybe an AP class or two will in all likelihood be scoring within the SAT average and is pretty much guaranteed acceptance. In other words, Valpo is no longer even close to being the selective, private institution we used to remember it being.
62, getting in is one thing. Getting out is quite another. It’s a problem in my opinion. The retention rate is important. If we are desperate for students and then they leave because they can’t cut it, the end result will only exasperate the enrollment problem.
The thinking on Valpo entrance standards is very outdated with all due respect. Our acceptance rate is what it is.
Also thinking the majority of our students leaving is related to our academics is not correct. Academics is about one of the best things at the University currently. And that is quite saying something
16, my point is not that kids leave because of bad academics. It is just the opposite. If we are accepting “B” students, can those same students cut it academically or are they leaving because of bad/failing grades.
@vu72 Two things: From what is my understanding, 1) the campus and academic cultures at Valpo both foster a supportive environment that contributes to student performance and retention, once admitted. It is supportive, not winnowing. And 2), regarding admitted athletes, Valpo coaches pretty much across the board have made it a priority to monitor, foster and support academic success of kids they recruit — it’s in their best interest. I believe Valpo athletes as a whole surpass the general student body in GPA. A kid with a HS 3.0 GPA, is in no danger of flunking out or being “overwhelmed” unless they are just lazy, and from what I see, our coaches look for motivated achievers with good character. For football, the retention issue seldom is academics, it’s playing time and whether they can cut it at the DI level or the aspiration to move higher up the FCS food chain — that’s where the challenge lies.
@vulb62 Your perspective resonates with me because I’ve experienced something similar. In high school, I was a C/D student and had limited options—community college, entering the workforce, or joining the military. I chose the military, and that decision changed everything. The military provided a structured, supportive environment and a sense of purpose that I lacked academically. Within that framework, I learned how to prioritize and apply myself, which led to academic success. My high school GPA didn’t define my future; what mattered was finding an environment that fostered growth. This experience is comparable to athletics. The right coach and program can create accountability and structure for student-athletes. Ultimately, I earned three degrees, including a master’s from the University of Maryland—something I never imagined in high school.
In my civilian career, academic prestige has rarely been a deciding factor in hiring. Meeting the degree requirement matters, but success depends on the individual, not the name on the diploma. Today, I prioritize fit and character over perceived prestige when hiring for my team. For students and athletes alike, campus environment, opportunities, and support systems matter more than prestige IMO. When those resources are in place, most students will succeed. This goes back to ensuring we have the right coaches in place providing the right resources in order for student athletes to have an opportunity to be successful at life.
Portal Offers: N/A
HS Offers: Alvernia
Recruiting Roster:
QB: Brunner
RB: Rose, Foster, Gibson, Tye
WR: Vetickal, Longley
TE: Perry
OL: McCool, Miller, Brubaker, Erkapic
DL: Plowden, Taylor, Totimeh
LB: Bargy, Slifer, Alfano
DB: Dunivan, Friday
LS: Smith
New Portal Commit: Kojo Totimeh 6'2 245 DL Cardinal O'Hara HS PA , JR Alvernia University
Their web page lists him at 6'5" 240# Defensive End. Could be a decent edge rusher.
Corrected height. team was 1-19 in his career there. 1.5 sacks last year in a not great D3 conference
Onye obvious comp. Similar frame and production. Who knows could be a big time sleeper
Offers: N/A
Recruiting Roster:
QB: Brunner
RB: Rose, Foster, Gibson, Tye
WR: Vetickal, Longley
TE: Perry
OL: McCool, Miller, Brubaker, Erkapic
DL: Plowden, Taylor, Totimeh, Larsen
LB: Bargy, Slifer, Alfano
DB: Dunivan, Friday
LS: Smith
Offers: Mount Union, Winona State, Culver Stockton, Concordia Saint Paul, Minnesota State Moorehead, UW Lacrosse, UW-River Falls, UW- Eau Claire
Recruiting Roster:
QB: Brunner
RB: Rose, Foster, Gibson, Tye
WR: Vetickal, Longley
TE: Perry
OL: McCool, Miller, Brubaker, Erkapic
DL: Plowden, Taylor, Totimeh, Larsen
LB: Bargy, Slifer, Alfano
DB: Dunivan, Friday, Ziebell
LS: Smith
New Commit: Josh Ziebell 6’3 185 DB Waukesha West HS, Wisconsin
Wow! That seems like a great get! Good size and decent speed. Could play both ways.
To my knowledge since 2010 we have not had a two way player. Extremely rare in modern CFB
