The Jackson State football team has been thrown for a loss in the last few days.
First, the program was told by the NCAA it would restricted from holding spring practice in 2013 in addition to banning the team from participating postseason play for the second consecutive season, according to a report by The Clarion-Ledger.
The harsh penalties were handed down as a result of the team failing to meet Academic Progress Rate — a four-year rolling figure that stood at 888, just short of the 900 required to remove sanctions. The school responded to the news calling the punishment unfair, considering the school attained a 913 APR score, it’s highest since 2003-04.
“We beseech you not to eradicate and ignore these efforts,” the document said. “Especially those of the student-athletes by meting out punitive measures for positive academic performance and a spring in the right direction.”
While the NCAA infractions are indeed troubling to the heritage historically black college program, there are also allegations that a JSU football player might have been involved in the shooting death of a student at off campus party over the weekend.
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