I would like to make 3 small points:<p>Most importantly: Athletes that have intentions of going pro in a major sport make up a tiny percentage of student athletes. The majority of student athletes care a great deal about school and graduate with a free education to boot. Universities like well rounded classes- not well rounded students. Student athletes are a component of this.<p>College football programs are open about the fact that they don't turn players into NFL prospects. This is why they honestly call them recruits. Unlike, say, an Ivy League school that claims (falsely) to turn you into a successful individual when in fact they only recruit the top talent. You go to a USC because they recognize you might already be NFL material and you give the school a good chance to win.<p>Thirdly, unlike what the author suggests, it is possible to care about both football and academics. They are not mutually exclusive.