Clemson Football: Tigers winning on and off the field

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 31: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers reacts after the Clemson Tigers beat the Ohio State Buckeyes 31-0 to win the 2016 PlayStation Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium on December 31, 2016 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 31: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers reacts after the Clemson Tigers beat the Ohio State Buckeyes 31-0 to win the 2016 PlayStation Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium on December 31, 2016 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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The Clemson football program is winning on the field, but off the field as well. The Tigers received a high honor, according to coach Jeff Scott.

Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney has always said that he wanted to build a program, not just a team.

Swinney, since taking over as the head coach for Clemson, has pushed athletes to give their best not just on the field, but off the field as well.

The coaching staff teaches players quality life skills and pushes them do their best in the classroom. Because of committing to the motto “Best is the Standard,” Clemson football has become one of the most successful programs on the field and in the classroom.

Clemson co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott took to Twitter to express his excitement in the fact that the Tigers ranked in the top-three in both ACC and SEC schools for academic progress rate (APR) by the NCAA.

https://twitter.com/coach_jeffscott/status/1000009997668048898

Winning on and off the field…

Academic Progress Rate is basically a system started by the NCAA to measure programs and their academic success. It holds programs and schools accountable for their student-athletes and how they push them to do well in the classroom.

Here’s a look at how APR is officially calculated, according to the NCAA.

  • Each student-athlete receiving athletically related financial aid earns one point for staying in school and one point for being academically eligible.
  • A team’s total points are divided by points possible and then multiplied by 1,000 to equal the team’s Academic Progress Rate.
  • In addition to a team’s current-year APR, its rolling four-year APR is also used to determine accountability.

What an awesome feat for the Clemson football program. The Tigers have consistently excelled in the classroom and that speaks highly of the coaching staff and the emphasis that they place on academics.

Clemson earned 987 total points, which was good enough for third behind just Vanderbilt (993) and Duke (992). Speaking of not succeeding on the field or in the classroom, Clemson’s rival South Carolina checked in at 12th in the SEC with 961 total points (Just in case you were wondering).

Next: Early Vegas Odds: Clemson vs. FSU, South Carolina

While it’s great to excel on the field, Clemson football fans should be proud of their program for being one that doesn’t put football first. Instead, the Tigers are focused on building men that will be great citizens in the community when their football career comes to an end.