I disagree. If you start early, even the "dumb" football player will learn. They just know they do not need to learn, so they dont. Human nature. Raise expectations, you raise achievement. Every time. If the bar is set at 2.0, most will just clear it. Same at 3.5. Don't want to disappoint anyone, but we are not teaching rocket science in high school. Again, it is all about expectations. Oh, one of my favorite sayings from USNA was, "If the minimum was not good enough, it would not be the minimum."
You are opening a socioeconomic can of worms. It's going to take more than just drawing a line and insisting that people not be allowed to cross it.
I got it. Not sure whether it's good news or bad news, though. Yep. Way more complicated that it is being made out.
I have mixed feelings about this. Higher standards are a good thing for almost everyone. But you can't keep raising them forever. Not all high-schoolers are alike. High achievers set their own standards and can end up in the Naval Academy. But average kids will rarely make that cut. And low achievers must have standards that are achievable, or they get frustrated and drop out.
BOT: Gilmore ready for his breakthrough Shea Dixon - 5 hours ago Greg Gilmore left high school two years ago as one of the most talked about defensive prospects on the East Coast. At 6-foot-4 and 275-pounds, he had the size to be a disruptive force at the college level, and he left South View High School in Hope Mills as the No. 1 football prospect in the state of North Carolina. He was also a Top 100 player nationally, and 247Sports pegged him as the No. 5 defensive tackle prospect in the entire class. By all accounts, LSU had scored big with his signature. Fast forward two seasons, Gilmore's yet to make his impact - though that could soon change. Sure, there was the redshirt season in 2013 followed by appearances in only six games last fall, where he totaled just four tackles all year. But heading into his third year with the team, things are different. Gilmore has shed bad weight, and he looks like one of the most well-conditioned defensive tackles on the roster. He's also welcomed in a new position coach, making the transition from Brick Haley to Ed Orgeron. And, perhaps most importantly, Gilmore is carrying some confidence that he admits hasn't been present since his high school days. "I plan on starting," Gilmore said. "I plan on being the best defensive tackle here. I feel like some things happened last year and I took a backseat, and I'm not doing that anymore. I am on a different mindset this year. If I want it, I'm going to go and get it." While the Tigers return both starters at defensive tackle in Christian LaCouture and Davon Godchaux, Gilmore isn't convinced the status quo will remain throughout the entirety of the offseason, namely because a new position coach means a new chance to impress - something Gilmore is hoping to take full advantage of this spring and into the summer. "In my opinion, I feel like everything is even in Coach Orgeron's eyes," Gilmore said. "Christian has been playing here, and his experience and my lack of experience could hold me back. That happens in most programs. But I don't think that will go down here. I am going to push to start and Coach Orgeron will give everyone a fair chance. "We needed that little bit of change. That's what we needed. Nothing was wrong with the last coaching staff. Any falloff in production is on us as players. We had a great scheme. But this is a new year. It's time to wipe the slate clean." Gilmore said he's changed up routines throughout his day, from his eating habits to his practice habits, in hopes of transforming not just his body but also his mind. And if all the pieces fall together, and momentum continues to build, Gilmore said LSU fans can finally expect to see the Top 100 prospect he was billed as coming out of high school in the 2013 class. "I am ready to make my impact this time," Gilmore said. "Given this is my third year, I had to focus on me and getting into position to play a big role. I had to come here with a different mindset. The guys in front of me that I need to beat out are getting too comfortable. I need to get in there and get it and be on them every single day. I need to switch my game up from past years and be a different player. "So, that's what I've set out to do. And I think I'm on my way. I am playing good ball every day, but I am also taking it one day at a time."
It would be very nice if he plays anywhere near his potential. Not sure I like the shots at the players in front of him though. Hopefully yaw yaw can light his fire.
