SmashMouth

The LSU football team had the second highest graduation rate in the SEC and well above the national average, according to NCAA data.
LSU posted a score of 77, second only to Vanderbilt's 86 in the NCAA Graduation Success Rate data released on Tuesday. Florida was the only other school above 70 with a 76. The national average is 67, which was LSU's score last year. LSU improved from 51 to 54 to 60 during the three years prior to that.
The scores are based on the four incoming classes from 2001-2002 through 2004-05. The NCAA began compiling these figures starting with the freshman class of 1995.
"It is a significant achievement when a program that currently sits atop the BCS rankings on the field can say it is meeting its goals in the classroom as well," Vice Chancellor and Athletics Director Joe Alleva said. "It is a tribute to the perseverance of our student-athletes, the support of Les Miles and his staff and the dedication of our academic support staff when a balance is struck between athletics excellence and academic achievement."
In other sports, LSU women's basketball tied for first in the SEC with seven other schools with a perfect mark of 100. Other sports with scores of 80 or above were volleyball at 91; women's golf, women's swimming and women's tennis at 89; gymnastics at 85, soccer at 81 and men's tennis at 80.
"Graduation is a team effort, and we are fortunate to have such a dedicated team whose priority is to graduate our young men and women," said Kenneth Miles, executive director of the Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes. "This includes our CCACSA's staff, Academic Affairs, schools and colleges, coaches, and the athletic administration. We are fortunate to work with such a conscientious group as we strive to be the premiere resource for LSU student-athletes."
The NCAA developed the Graduation Success Rate to more accurately assess the academic success of student-athletes. The rate holds institutions accountable for transfer students, unlike the federal graduation rate. The GSR also accounts for midyear enrollees and is calculated for every sport.
Under the calculation, institutions are not penalized for outgoing transfer students who leave in good academic standing. The outgoing transfers are included in the receiving institution's GSR cohort.

LSU football claims second-highest graduation rates in SEC | NOLA.com


OK 'Bama fans ... STFU!