UPDATED: Arkansas Basketball Not Sanctioned, But APR Worrisome

FAYETTEVILLE - Arkansas has avoided NCAA penalties for falling below the 925 Academic Progress Rate cut score in men's basketball.

For now.

Athletic director Jeff Long said Wednesday the four-year score of 888 will be difficult for the Razorbacks to repair in a short time. Long expects "three to four years" of work before Arkansas men's basketball is back above a 925, something that could lead to penalties next year.

Boiled down in its simplest terms, each year the NCAA updates the APR number, a four-year average measure of athlete retention and eligibility. A 925 is the cut score. Anything underneath that score subjects a program to penalties. The NCAA equates a 925 with a 60-percent graduation rate.

Sanctions for failing to raise the APR begin with a public notice from the NCAA. Arkansas received that this year and if things do not improve, penalties could escalate to include loss of scholarships, loss of practice time and a postseason ban.

"Scholarship loss is a very real potential for us," Long said on an afternoon teleconference. "... Were not there. We haven't lost a scholarship. We are going to be in jeopardy for losing a scholarship for the next two to three years."

Some of Arkansas' trouble can be linked to the most recent year to roll onto the APR. Scores represented this year include the 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons.

Arkansas, which had a 944 score last year, dodged being penalized this year because the six players who ended their eligibility with the 2007-08 season left in good academic standing.

Where things get even more difficult is when the 2008-09 score rolls onto the APR. Arkansas faces an uphill climb when factoring in the mid-season departure of Montrell McDonald, two additional transfers of Brandon Moore and Andre Clark, plus the possibility of Michael Washington turning pro.

Arkansas will lose a retention point for any player that leaves. Provided the three were in good academic standing, the basketball program avoids an "0-for-2".

It will take time for things to improve, Long said.

"We didn't get this score in one year. We got it in four years and consequently it will take us three to four years to get it back where we want to be," Long said. "It didn't occur in one year. Statistically, we can't get out of it in one year."

Basketball coach John Pelphrey wasn't available for comment, but did release a statement through the media relations department. He acknowledged concern for what lies ahead.

Pelphrey will likely have to pay increased attention to who he recruits. Should additional players transfer or lose eligbility, Arkansas would lose additional points, putting it in jeopardy of NCAA sanctions.

Tennessee, Auburn and South Carolina are among SEC schools to lose basketball scholarships. Indiana, Georgia Tech, Ohio State, Purdue and Colorado each lost scholarship this year.

"Our current APR score is a reflection of many factors including a significant amount of transition in the time period evaluated," Pelphrey said. "... I am optimistic that our continued emphasis and proactive approach will result in an improved team APR rating.

Outside of men's basketball, the Razorbacks had no other teams below the 925. Arkansas actually prefers its programs maintain a 935 or above, something that 16 of 19 sports did.

Long said special attention is given to programs that fail to maintain a 936. Football (927) and women's tennis (932) fall into that category along with basketball.

Penalties for falling below the 925 mark vary at the NCAA level. They are separated into two categories - historic and contemporaneous (immediate).

Arkansas' public reprimand is an "occasion one" historic penalty.

Should a sport remain below 925 for a period of time, historic penalties would be imposed. In the case of contemporaneous penalties, a school could lose no more than 10 percent of its total allotment of scholarships. Basketball has 13 scholarships available to award.

Arkansas basketball will perhaps benefit from guidelines that view a player leaving to turn pro more favorably than a player who leaves and does not return to school elsewhere. All six players that left the team at the end of the 2007-08 season are currently playing professionally and could qualify for the "pro exemption point".

Points can be awarded retroactively if a player returns to school and graduates. A point would be given for the year the player graduated, not the year his eligibility was up.

Arkansas avoided trouble elsewhere. The women's golf program has a 1,000 APR and has since the inception of the measurement.

Football recorded a 927 and Long would like to see that number improve. He did point to the coaching change prior to the 2008 season as a possible factor in the score being low.

"Overall I am pleased with the progress we are making in our sport programs with APR," Long said. 

Academic Progress Rate
Men's Sports
*Basketball    888
Football    927
Cross Country    943
Baseball    945
Golf    945
Tennis    959
Track, Indoor    964
Track, Outdoor    970

Women's Sports
Tennis    932
Track, Indoor    954
Volleyball    959
Track, Outdoor    960
Softball    964
Swimming    965
Basketball    975
Cross Country    977
Gymnastics        991
Soccer    991
Golf        1000