Lionbaseball, true. I wonder if they actually attend classes but have easy graders and work done for them or they have phantom classes like at UNC a couple of years ago. I remember even STANFORD, of all places, had an "easy class list" one of the classes were "North American dances part 2"
Yea - but North American Dances Part 1 is a pre-requisite and that one's really tough. I think instead of approaching this from a blanket statement, perhaps some folks might consider an individual "student=athlete" who possesses exceptional athletic ability, but has a deficiencies in his educational background. Assume this kid is either a football or basketball player (i.e. helps foot the bills) - do you think many Power 5 teams are really going to suggest true remedial work - throughout the process - such that eligibility might be delayed a year? I think some kids who are wholly unprepared and are not provided appropriate resources (things like remedial reading skills to improve reading level) may still benefit from the overall process. But, consider the mid-level player (good enough to start Power 5 but maybe not quite good enough to go pro) who get injured their junior/senior year. While many universities have programs to assist motivated kids when this happens, is the institution really going to go out of its way to convince some unmotivated kid - who still has a long uphill road as it relates to acedemics - that they ought to stick it out? Might anyone believe that some poorly equipped kid becomes dispensable once they are no longer able to contribute athletically? The "easy" classes/majors are just one way for an institution to manage the academically unmotivated kid (and I am not throwing stones at these kids - my kid is current not academically motivated but hoping that changes soon).
Besides, didn't I hear that Johnny Manziel completed his final semester's required 12 hours via online courses? Would love to see that schedule. Can you take dance classes online?