As I understand it, the TN Promise for free JUCO education goes into effect this year. What impact will it have on athletes? I'm still trying to educate myself and find it interesting (if not a little disturbing) that any HS prospect would contact me with UofM scoop/insight/questions. Weird, but it had to come from here. Y'all might also like to know that (according to this person) if the SEC doesn't come calling, the UofM is the next best thing in some circles.

What do y'all think...person mentioned JUCO for a year (fully qualified), then SEC as an option?

IVE BEEN A TN PROMISE MENTOR FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS !!!!

TNACHIEVES.ORG

Why go free-JUCO for a year instead of get paid via COA somewhere

I guess to play in the SEC? I really don't know. I guess the decision may be what is the $ difference? Y'all I don't want this attention, but "this" kid gave my email and now have 7 jr/hs kids wanting me to forward their highlights, I don't know what to tell them.

Sadly, if the power conferences could find a way to use JUCOs as a farm system to keep more players to themselves, away from programs like ours, they will do it.

I could see a bunch of JUCOs teaming up with say UTK or UAT, etc. That way they have 10-20 marginal players (talent or academics) that they can watch for a year and keep them out of the pipeline until they decide if they need them or not. No transfer rules, no sit out a year, just come on in next spring if we need you.

Pretty good idea really.

(07-29-2015 02:33 PM)cmt Wrote:  Sadly, if the power conferences could find a way to use JUCOs as a farm system to keep more players to themselves, away from programs like ours, they will do it.

I could see a bunch of JUCOs teaming up with say UTK or UAT, etc. That way they have 10-20 marginal players (talent or academics) that they can watch for a year and keep them out of the pipeline until they decide if they need them or not. No transfer rules, no sit out a year, just come on in next spring if we need you.

Pretty good idea really.

its called scooba

If you attend a failing TN school which most public schools in West TN qualify, you can get a full ride to UTK for 4 years under the Promise Scholarship (which existed before the new one). I would assume the UofM has the same program in place because it is likely state money doing it.

On a personal note, the scholarship is completely bogus. You have to maintain a 2.0 GPA and you get to keep a full ride (estimated tuition is 32k at UTK a year). We should be awarding scholarships based on achievement (IE Grades) and not affirmation. If 99% of the students with scholarships end up being Asian so be it.

Everything about academics and the NCAA is bogus

True in general. There may be a few specific holdouts who are not with the program.

TnPromise and Tennessee Promise are two completely different and unrelated scholarships. Tennessee Promise is only offered at UT-k to 33 eligible schools of which 2/3 are in Memphis one in Sommerville and the rest split between Knoxville, Nashville, Chattanooga, Whites Creek and Antioch.

TNPromise is a last dollars scholarship for eligible tech schools and two year programs. It only kicks in after all other forms of scholarships and financial aid has been awarded. There are a series of deadlines, meetings and community Service hours required but no academic or income requirements. This fall will be the first year of this scholarship. The % of students who actually ever see a dime of this money is very small. Juco athletes would not receive the scholarship.

Haslam stole the idea of TnPromise from one called TnAchieve that was created by a Pet Store owner in Knoxville. TnAchieve is a nonprofit organization that is one of 3 or 4 to oversee the recruitment of students, mentoring and ongoing oversight. Essentially he paid for staff to run the program and local philans donated money for the scholarship. Haslam also raided the Hope Lottery reserve to fund TnPromise this year. Haslam turned a private donor driven program into a state funded program.

83% of Shelby County students completed an application for TnPromise. About 55% remain eligible. By enrollment actual recipients will be under 20% is my guess. The mentoring program mentioned by TigerStrong is an excellent idea. I mentored 10 each year over the past four years.

(07-29-2015 03:20 PM)Unionman76 Wrote:  

(07-29-2015 02:33 PM)cmt Wrote:  Sadly, if the power conferences could find a way to use JUCOs as a farm system to keep more players to themselves, away from programs like ours, they will do it.

I could see a bunch of JUCOs teaming up with say UTK or UAT, etc. That way they have 10-20 marginal players (talent or academics) that they can watch for a year and keep them out of the pipeline until they decide if they need them or not. No transfer rules, no sit out a year, just come on in next spring if we need you.

Pretty good idea really.

its called scooba

This