Slive: College sports loses benefit of the doubt

HOOVER, Ala. — SEC Commissioner Mike Slive says recent headlines show that college athletics “has lost the benefit of the doubt.”

He says the negative perception of college athletics resulting from infractions cases from Ohio State to LSU and Auburn “casts a shadow over the extraordinary student-athletes across the country” and merits change.

Kicking off SEC media days Wednesday, Slive used his speech to outline an agenda that includes a bid to strengthen academic requirements for incoming freshmen and junior college transfers and restore partial qualifiers.

Under the plan, the required GPA for those players would rise from 2.0 to 2.5 in 16 core classes. The SEC, which also has suggested some changes in recruiting policies, will present its proposals to the NCAA.