Nov. 24, 2014
LEXINGTON, Ky. — The graduation rate for the Kentucky football program has been tabbed as honorable mention for the American Football Coaches Association’s 2014 Academic Achievement Award, it was announced by the Touchdown Club of Memphis on Monday morning.
This was the sixth time since the award was founded that Kentucky football has earned honorable mention status, along with UK being named the overall winner in 1989.
This year’s award marks the seventh time the NCAA’s Graduation Success Rate (GSR) formula has been used to select the winner. From 1981 to 2007, the award was presented based on a formula used by the College Football Association and AFCA. Since 2008, the criteria for the AFCA’s Academic Achievement Award is based on the highest NCAA GSR, at least 15 students in the GSR cohort, and a Federal Graduation Rate of 75 percent or better.
The Academic Achievement Award was established by the College Football Association in 1981. The award recognized the CFA-member Football Bowl Subdivision institution with the highest graduation rate among members of its football team. When the CFA disbanded in 1997, the AFCA stepped in to present the award and conduct a graduation rate survey that encompassed all members of the FBS.
The GSR is based on a six-year graduation window for student-athletes which is a change from the five-year window used by the CFA and AFCA. The GSR was developed by the NCAA as part of its academic reform initiative to more accurately assess the academic success of student-athletes. The GSR holds institutions accountable for transfer students, unlike the federal graduation rate. The GSR also accounts for midyear enrollees.
Since 1971, Kentucky has had 19 players earn Academic All-America honors, including Hayden Lane (2006) and Jacob Tamme (2007), who were each named the SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year. Since 1954, a total of 563 Wildcats have earned SEC Academic Honor Roll accolades.
Kentucky (5-6) will return to action in its regular-season finale on Saturday at No. 23 Louisville (8-3), with kickoff slated for 12 p.m. with the game televised live on ESPN2.
