Topic: Daily Mail: Herrion has some numbers to crunch

[ZackUSAF82]

by Chuck McGill
Daily Mail sports writer

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- Tom Herrion has an undergraduate degree in psychology, so you'll have to forgive him if he isn't so polished in arithmetic.

The NCAA permits Division I men's basketball programs to use 13 scholarships per season. But if all goes well and the Ohio River doesn't rise, Marshall's first-year hoops coach may have to do some serious number crunching.

The Herd returns eight scholarship players: Tirrell Baines, Eladio Espinosa, Antonio Haymon, Shaquille Johnson, DeAndre Kane, Dago Pena, Damier Pitts and Nigel Spikes.

(Kane, by the way, has the highest grade-point average of that crew during the summer. Barring a complete collapse in the classroom between now and the Aug. 13 end of the semester, last year's partial qualifier will be free and clear for the 2010-2011 season.)

With eight returnees, that means Herrion has five free rides to wave around, but that's where the numbers don't add up.

Two newcomers, Dante Holmes and Dre Williams, have signed a National Letter of Intent. Another, Marquette transfer Youssoupha Mbao, has enrolled in classes at Marshall, thus making him an official scholarship user.

Then there's Johnny Thomas, an North Carolina State graduate transfer who has confirmed his intention to play his final two years with Marshall. He will be eligible immediately, as will Oklahoma graduate transfer Orlando Allen (one year of eligibility), who has been widely reported to be following former Sooners assistant Mark Cline to Huntington.

Link: http://dailymail.com/Sports/MUSports/201007210942

[The Right Stuff]

Just a rumor and you guys know how those things go, one of our key players from last year's team is struggling grade wise this summer.  Don't get all hyper now because I did use the disclaimer that this is just a rumor.

TRS
MU 71

[goherdies]

Just a rumor and you guys know how those things go, one of our key players from last year's team is struggling grade wise this summer.  Don't get all hyper now because I did use the disclaimer that this is just a rumor.

TRS
MU 71

SJ?  DP?


What is up with playing teams twice in the same year that aren't in the conference.  Looks like 2 games in 2010 against James Madison and two games against Savannah State.  I really hope at some point the schedule starts to improve over previous years.

[HerdHead]

Just a rumor and you guys know how those things go, one of our key players from last year's team is struggling grade wise this summer.  Don't get all hyper now because I did use the disclaimer that this is just a rumor.

It's more than just a rumor.

Could one of the others be receiving financial aid based upon need rather than receiving an athletic scholarship? 

[morpheus]

I think next year we see a big improvement with the schedule.  Right now, with the late start, the Bball staff is struggling trying to fill out the schedule for this season.  I think with Herrion's and Hamrick's connections, there will be a big upgrade in the quality of opponents.  Wouldn't surprise me to see Pitt pop up on the schedule in the near future.

[The Right Stuff]

Double Play abbrev.  ;)

TRS
MU 71

[goherdies]

It's more than just a rumor.

Could one of the others be receiving financial aid based upon need rather than receiving an athletic scholarship? 

Scholarships are year to year so someone could go off scholarship and have to pay/finance their own way.  It may raise some eyebrows if someone goes off academic scholarship and then receives some other type of scholarship and still plays basketball.  There is probably a good chance their is some NCAA rule which prevents teams from doing that.