When Holtz was hired in 1986, ND accepted 43% of all applicants, 75% graduated in the top 10% of their high school classes, and the average SAT score of an enrollee was 1200.
Now, ND only accepts about 16% of all applicants, 94% graduated in the top 10% of their high school classes, the average SAT is 1480 and the average ACT is 34.
The problem is that ND won't admit anyone that they don't believe can hang with the general admissions pool in a classroom. Athletes obviously get a lot of support that other students don't, and no one expects them to be top of the class, but there's a point at which a student just doesn't have the academic chops to complete any course of study we offer.