NCAA lifts postseason ban on Idaho football team

The NCAA lifted the postseason ban on the Idaho football program after the team improved its academic progress, the school announced.

The program was hit with sanctions after failing to meet the NCAA’s academic standards from 2010-12. The team was not allowed to participate in a bowl game last season and was stripped of four hours of practice time per week.

The team will get those four hours of practice time back if it has an Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 940 or more this year.

Paul Petrino took over the program in December 2012 and the school said that his teams have a grade point average of 2.55 during the first four semesters he has been at the school.

In 2013, teams were required to earn a 900 four-year APR or a 930 average over the most recent two years to be eligible to play in the postseason. Starting this academic year, programs must earn a four-year APR of 930 to compete in championships.

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“It was a group effort,”  Petrino said. “Everybody worked really hard.”

“I’m proud of the academic progress of the football program,” athletic director Rob Spear added. “Paul has shown the commitment, leadership and accountability to make this happen.”

Petrino has a 2-21 record in his two seasons at Idaho, including a 1-11 record in 2014.

- Scooby Axson