Wow, that is stunning. I know some college football players aren't the strongest students, but student-athletes who can't read?? Hard to imagine.
Does the name James Brooks ring any bells?
He was a pro football player who was Auburn's career leading rusher in his 4 years there. During a child support hearing he told the judge he couldn't read the court documents because he was illiterate. He couldn't read in HS. Couldn't read in college. And still couldn't read after 13 years of education.
The James Brooks Illiteracy Scandal - Higher Education
Auburn claimed he slipped through the cracks somehow but the situation continued. About 10 years later another stellar RB played 4 years for Auburn. He's also known for having the lowest Wonderlic score in the NFL. Some say he didn't apply himself while others note his Wonderlic "achievement" was consistent with his ACT score of 7. If you read that article about UNC you might compare that with the comment they made about a minimum ACT score of 16, 7 isn't even half of 16.
The UNC article also noted Linda Bensel-Meyers, a professor at Tennesee. She waged war with Phil Fulmer and the University over academic misconduct and bogus Test score waivers. While digging into athletic academic performance she was stunned to learn that 14 of UT's starting 22 football players had "learning disabilities" and as such were given a waiver for their required test score. Fulmer lead the SEC in such waivers. Turned out somebody of the team actually did have a learning disability. One enterprising coach realized that UT could get recruits who had deficient admission test scores "eligible" if they were designated as learning disabled. They got very good at discovering previously undiagnosed learning disabled athletes with great 40 times or great bench press numbers. It took the other SEC teams a few seasons (and Bensel-Meyers work) to catch on to Fulmer's coaching magic and then UT went back to it customary 3rd or 4th place finish.
I have a relative who has a bona fide learning disability. In college she was given more time on tests and for assignments. She graduated from Catholic U. cum laude.
I understand how the extra time worked in the classroom but was curious how Fulmer's 14 could look at the sideline while a play was being called in, correctly align themselves for the given play, then after the QB read his "keys" and audibiled to a new play changing everyone's assignments, they executed the play satisfactorily ... all within the allotted time on the playclock. They got the same time as the non-learning disabled. More time to take a geography test but the same time to execute a myriad of variable plays under time pressure and a bunch of 300 pound defenders trying to dismember them.
Shouldn't they have gotten an extra 10 seconds on the clock for each play with a 5 second extension per audible?
And maybe 9 yards for a First Down.
And an extra Down in The Red Zone?
Players are still pushed through the grades, HS and college, to keep them eligible at a lot of places.