Mike Leach supports NCAA’s graduate transfer rule

PULLMAN – Mike Leach has yet to take advantage of the rule allowing graduates to transfer among college athletics programs without penalty, but he supports it, even as it makes his life harder this weekend.

Oregon comes to town on Saturday with starting quarterback Dakota Prukop, who received a degree from Montana State last year. Vernon Adams was UO’s starting quarterback in 2015 after graduating from Eastern Washington, but did not play against the Cougars because of an injury.

The spirit of the rule is to allow players who graduate early to pursue postgraduate degrees that they could not at their current institution – a player can only transfer to a school that offers a program not offered at the original school. However, football considerations often appear to be the primary motivators for players who transfer.

“I don’t think graduate degrees are factoring in,” Leach said with his characteristically wry humor.

That said, Leach does not appear to need the excuse to think grad transfers are a good idea.

“What it is, essentially, is a reward for a guy that graduates,” Leach said. “Why not? The other thing, I honestly think it’s more motivation for a guy to graduate quickly.”

The graduate transfer rule has undoubtedly altered the college football landscape, and changed the fortunes of some of its most prominent teams and stars. Russell Wilson took advantage of it to play his senior season at Wisconsin, giving the traditional rushing power the NCAA’s single-season record holder in passing efficiency.

Whether or not its helping players achieve previously unattainable degrees, well, the skeptics have some good points. According to NCAA data compiled by the Chicago Tribune, only 24 percent of football players who make use of the graduate transfer rule end up earning a graduate degree.