Worth revisiting: a major advantage for Cincinnati and other schools

[Clockwork Orange]

Academic calendar and the Quarter System. I first made note of this probably a decade ago when I heard mention, around this time, that classes had not yet started at Ohio State. It turned out that the Buckeyes could play 3 and sometimes even 4 games before their players had to start class. I was surprised and thought this was a major advantage for focus and preparation; 2-3 extra weeks with no other students on campus and no classes to worry about.

It turns out that Cincinnati is also on the quarter system and doesn't start classes until September 22nd. It's worth noting, again, what a major advantage this is for early season games. All their players have to think about this week is the Tennessee game, while ours are going to 12-15 hours worth of classes and being surrounded by fellow students (and with that, the temptation to lose focus on football).

It is what it is and we're used to operating this way at UT, so I'm not complaining . . . just making an observation. It seems like this never really gets talked about in the media.

EDIT: FWIW, the only D-IA football schools that operate on the quarter system are Ohio State, Cincinnati, UCLA, Stanford, Washington, Northwestern, and Louisiana Tech. I don't know if they all start as late as OSU and Cincy though.

[VinnieVOL]

That is very interesting.

[10EC]

Quarters rocked at UT.  Games before classes started.  A real Spring break in-between Qtrs...

I got caught up in the transition to semesters my Jr. year at UT.  What a cluster...   

[Volznut]

Ohio state players don't have to go to classes. Come on Clockwork.  

[BanditVol]

Quarters rocked at UT.  Games before classes started.  A real Spring break in-between Qtrs...

I got caught up in the transition to semesters my Jr. year at UT.  What a cluster...   

Yeah me too.  I had two junior years, actually.  But I also co-oped.  It worked better than it could have.  A friend in my same major that starting co-oping about the same time had to go six years, and I still got out in five, which is usual for co-op students.