Player retention in the MAC

[zipboy]

So I was bored and went back and looked at player retention in the MAC for the 2004 and 2005 classes. We all are disappointed about the players leaving Akron, but I was surprised how low retention is across the league. I pulled what Vandelay lists as recruiting classes from 2004-2005 and compared to who is still left on rosters today. I know this isn't 100% accurate as some players sign after this time period, some walk on, etc. I took out JUCO kids since they might have already graduated. No question the level of the league has gone down over the past few years. I wonder if losing almost half your players is one reason why. It seems that every team is perpetually young. I don't know how this compares to the other leagues, but some of you pointed out reasons why the league struggles in retention- coaches leave, academic support system may not be strong, kids are expecting playing time right away in the MAC and may not get it. Whatever the reasons, it seems that for the league to get more competitive, you need more 4th and 5th year players. Anyway, here are the numbers.2004 class ie the Kevin Grant/Brion Stokes class, JDs 1st group - only 56% of the players signed in the league were still on active rosters this year. 242 players were signed, and 135 are still around. Akron is at the lower end but pretty much everyone is low2004 class still left signed % leftakron 11 22 50.0%ball 14 25 56.0%bg 13 18 72.2%cmu 8 16 50.0%emu 8 22 36.4%Can't 8 13 61.5%miam 18 24 75.0%ohio 8 18 44.4%toledo 12 23 52.2%wmu 10 20 50.0%niu 14 22 63.6%buffalo 11 19 57.9%total 135 242 55.8%2005 class, JD's 1st heralded class has 63% of the players still left. The league has 68%, again lower than the league, but not by much. 2005 class still left signed % leftakron 15 24 62.5%ball 14 20 70.0%bg 13 25 52.0%cmu 14 25 56.0%emu 14 21 66.7%Can't 17 21 81.0%miam 7 13 53.8%ohio 24 26 92.3%toledo 15 23 65.2%wmu 16 24 66.7%niu 19 23 82.6%buffalo 16 24 66.7%total 184 269 68.4%This post is not meant to defend JD or past recruiting. I have been really disappointed with the defection rate in the prior classes and some of the name guys that did not make it. I hope that a lot of that was corrected last year and will continue this year. I just see the league as being pretty mediocre with talent levels all very similar. This shows that everyone is in the same boat. You get lucky in a year, a couple playmakers, you win the league. But to sustain a superior level vs everyone else, I don't quite know how we get that done.

[Zips fan]

Zipboy, Thanks for taking the time look up these stats. It is interesting and does paint an accurate picture of player retention within the MAC.