One of the hot topics in the Big Ten lately has been the idea of a year ineligibility for freshman student-athletes to ease them into the demands of college athletics. The conference began seeking feedback on the “year of readiness” concept in February.
At the Big Ten meetings this week in Rosemont, Ill., conversation on the topic shifted more towards finding other strategies to lighten the load for the student athletes. IU Athletic Director Fred Glass said that the Big Ten discussed either enforcing more strictly the rule stating athletes cannot participate in more than 20 hours a week of athletics activities or lowering the limit altogether.
“We are never going to be able to stop a kid that wants to go take a run around the campus or look at film they downloaded on their iPad,” Glass said. “What I think we really need to get after are these so called optional practices that are “captain led” that are at our facilities.”
Glass said they want to cut down on the coach driven pressure or peer pressure to participate in these activities.
In addition to trying to cut out these “optional” practices, the Big Ten looked into shutting down facilities during dead periods and increasing opportunities for study abroad internships so students can have a college experience more like classmates who do not play sports.
No action has been taken yet, as Glass said they spent more time developing national proposals on the topics. He said the Big Ten would not want to go alone on these initiatives and would rather partner with at least all of the “Power Five” conferences.
In terms of the “year of readiness,” Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany put together a white paper displaying ways to ensure that academics is the centerpiece of the college experience for student athletes and that athletics comes second.
“He believes that the year of readiness is a way to really go that direction and some of us have our doubts about that but we embrace the conversation,” Glass said.
Glass himself said he has yet to make up his mind on the topic and that he knows it will be difficult to push through, but he still thinks it is important to have the conversation.
Also at the Big Ten meetings, the representatives met with the Big Ten’s partners and leaders. The conference’s women’s basketball coaches made presentations and the television partners — Big Ten Network and ESPN — were also there.
Topics of conversation also included graduate transfers, cost of attendance and scheduling for football, basketball and soccer.
