From Kate's Blog: McNeal might not return for 2010 season

[ponyfan84]

If he's gone our run game is screwed next year. I doubt we have any Miami caliber RBs on this depth chart who can keep defenses honest!

[The PonyGrad]

I want Shawnbrey back but are you aware that we have a commitment from the #7 player in OK. A 3* 5.7 rated RB? (See signature.)

[SMU Kilmer]

Does anyone else think that the best thing Shawnbrey can do for his family in the LONGTERM is to get a degree and graduate from SMU? I do feel for the him, he's got a lot of responsibility.

[CalallenStang]

Does anyone else think that the best thing Shawnbrey can do for his family in the LONGTERM is to get a degree and graduate from SMU? I do feel for the him, he's got a lot of responsibility.

Leaving school for the pros early does not preclude him from earning a degree. See Shaq.

[SMU89]

Does anyone else think that the best thing Shawnbrey can do for his family in the LONGTERM is to get a degree and graduate from SMU? I do feel for the him, he's got a lot of responsibility.

Leaving school for the pros early does not preclude him from earning a degree. See Shaq.

And it doesn't preclude him from being the Captain on the Space Shuttle.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_percenta ... _graduates

From above link:
Since 1990, 479 underclassmen have applied for the draft, and 332 of them were actually drafted. Seventy percent got selected, which doesn't sound bad until you stop and think about the 30 percent who gave up the opportunity for a college degree and landed up with a rookie minimum contract ... or no contract at all. Only 131 were selected in the first round.

I can see the rationale these young men considered when they left school. In my opinion, only 27 percent of the underclassmen who declared for the draft since 1990 made a good decision about their football careers.

But forget football for a second. All of these 479 young people quit on their education. In my 10 years in the NFL, I didn't see many of them return for a degree. They all talk about returning to school some day, but without a scholarship, the study halls and the tutoring they had when on the college football team, it is unrealistic to think it will ever happen.

Here are some numbers to ponder: A college graduate who never makes a living in the NFL will get cut, go home and on average make over $600,000 more money over his chosen career than the guy without a degree who gets cut. These players are abandoning a free college education to go pro even though the chances of lasting four years in the NFL is less than 20 percent.

[PoconoPony]

I think it is very real that he has family issues with an ill mother and several kids to support. Problem for him is that he is probably not ready for the NFL. I do not see him being drafted; however, there is little question that he will be signed by some team needing as special teams player who can then be evaluated for a roster spot and RB duties. I also get the sense that he is very academically weak and it is a real struggle for him to deal with the pressures of the classroom. He essentially flunked out of Miami and was right on the bubble at SMU for both summer school and apparently this last semester. The NFL really solves many of his needs, but the whole debate is whether or not he is ready for the NFL and can stick. My guess is that he needs another year of experience, maturity, strength....etc. in order to make it in the NFL; however, Canada is an option that meets his current situation and skills. Obviously, a degree would be in his best interest, but a degree comes with no assurances particularly if he has to major in something of minimal value or interest to him just to stay eligible and which he might not be able to fully use, enjoy or capitalize.

[CalallenStang]

Does anyone else think that the best thing Shawnbrey can do for his family in the LONGTERM is to get a degree and graduate from SMU? I do feel for the him, he's got a lot of responsibility.

Leaving school for the pros early does not preclude him from earning a degree. See Shaq.

And it doesn't preclude him from being the Captain on the Space Shuttle.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_percenta ... _graduates

From above link:
Since 1990, 479 underclassmen have applied for the draft, and 332 of them were actually drafted. Seventy percent got selected, which doesn't sound bad until you stop and think about the 30 percent who gave up the opportunity for a college degree and landed up with a rookie minimum contract ... or no contract at all. Only 131 were selected in the first round.

I can see the rationale these young men considered when they left school. In my opinion, only 27 percent of the underclassmen who declared for the draft since 1990 made a good decision about their football careers.

But forget football for a second. All of these 479 young people quit on their education. In my 10 years in the NFL, I didn't see many of them return for a degree. They all talk about returning to school some day, but without a scholarship, the study halls and the tutoring they had when on the college football team, it is unrealistic to think it will ever happen.

Here are some numbers to ponder: A college graduate who never makes a living in the NFL will get cut, go home and on average make over $600,000 more money over his chosen career than the guy without a degree who gets cut. These players are abandoning a free college education to go pro even though the chances of lasting four years in the NFL is less than 20 percent.

And I'm sure June has shared this all with Shawnbrey. That being said, if Shawnbrey hears that there's a good chance that he goes 4th round or sooner, he should declare himself eligible (hearing that is almost a guarantee of getting drafted).

By the way, Thomas Morstead didn't graduate from SMU before going to the NFL. He'll be completing his degree in the offseason.

[SMU89]

There are always exceptions that can be pointed to -- what's the norm?

For example, Tony Romo and Miles Austin weren't even drafted -- things seem to be working well for them -- if he hears he will not be drafted maybe he should declare himself eligible?

Unfortunately, there are a vastly larger number of people (see article) where not getting a degree doesn't work out. Its a big decision. He has a lot of people depending on him for many years to come. The average NFL career is 3.5 years.

Not sure how Moorstead received this award without graduating or why they would imply that he has....

Two SMU Football Players Named to National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame's 2009 Hampshire Honor Society

SMU graduates and 2008 lettermen Thomas Morstead and Tommy Poynter have been inducted into the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame's 2009 Hampshire Honor Society. Qualifications for membership in the NFF Honor Society include: Being a starter or a significant substitute in one's last year of eligibility at an accredited NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III, or an NAIA college or university; Achieving a 3.2 cumulative grade point average throughout entire course of undergraduate study; and Meeting all NCAA-mandated progress towards degree requirements.

Morstead graduated from SMU as one of the best punters to ever put on a Mustang uniform. He earned his degree in mechanical engineering and was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the 2009 NFL Draft.

[huskerpony]

Most schools have programs where you are allowed to come back and finish your degree for free if you do some work for the athletic department while you are finishing. Even if SMU doesn't have such a program in place, even making league minimum for a couple of years, you should have enough money to come back and pay for your final year yourself--as long as you didn't spend everything. School will always be there, and I know more than one person who has been injured or played poorly their senior year and not gotten drafted. It is too much free money to pass up, especially for someone who has some family obligations to attend to. You have to take it while it is available to you.

What's to say he would finish his degree next year anyway? Half of my friends took 4 1/2-5 years to get done and they weren't trying to go to school and play football at the same time. The way SMU deals with transfer credits, I would guess he probably has quite a few hours to take still. So he most likely would have to come back and finish even if he stays for next year.

[CalallenStang]

There are always exceptions that can be pointed to -- what's the norm?

For example, Tony Romo and Miles Austin weren't even drafted -- things seem to be working well for them -- if he hears he will not be drafted maybe he should declare himself eligible?

Unfortunately, there are a vastly larger number of people (see article) where not getting a degree doesn't work out. Its a big decision. He has a lot of people depending on him for many years to come. The average NFL career is 3.5 years.

Not sure how Moorstead received this award without graduating or why they would imply that he has....

Two SMU Football Players Named to National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame's 2009 Hampshire Honor Society

SMU graduates and 2008 lettermen Thomas Morstead and Tommy Poynter have been inducted into the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame's 2009 Hampshire Honor Society. Qualifications for membership in the NFF Honor Society include: Being a starter or a significant substitute in one's last year of eligibility at an accredited NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III, or an NAIA college or university; Achieving a 3.2 cumulative grade point average throughout entire course of undergraduate study; and Meeting all NCAA-mandated progress towards degree requirements.

Morstead graduated from SMU as one of the best punters to ever put on a Mustang uniform. He earned his degree in mechanical engineering and was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the 2009 NFL Draft.

I got my info from a story on PonyFans from awhile back