Randy Shannon’s 977 lifetime APR average leads all head coaches in Bowl Championship Series conferences.

University of Miami head football coach Randy Shannon leads all head coaches in Bowl Championship Series conferences with a 977 career Academic Progress Rate, the Center for Research on Sport in Society has announced.

Shannon’s career APR mark also ranks third among all active Division I football coaches, trailing only Troy Calhoun of Air Force (983) and Ken Niumatalolo of Navy (978).

“This is credit to our student-athletes and the support staff in our academic area,” Shannon said. “Academic success is important to the players on this team, and they are receiving the credit they have worked so hard for.”

“We are defining what it means to be a student-athlete at the University of Miami,” said sophomore wide receiver LaRon Byrd. “I believe that we have some of the best athletes in America, and I know we also have some of the smartest students. Our job is to be successful in the classroom and on the field, and I’m proud of our program and my teammates for achieving at such a high standard.”

The APR was established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to measure the success or failure of collegiate athletic teams in moving student-athletes towards graduation.

The football team’s 2008-09 APR score of 978 will be factored into Shannon’s lifetime average in next year’s rankings, meaning that the UM head coach should be among the nation’s leaders again.

Academically, the NCAA is moving towards its harshest APR penalty phase, raising interest in coaches’ lifetime rates. In March, the NCAA began computing Division I coaches’ APR rates. The rates will not be used to assess or punish coaches, but it is hoped that universities will consider the mark in hiring decisions.

The rates were compiled using NCAA Division I Academic Performance Program data for academic years 2003-2004 through 2007-2008.

Last May Miami was recognized as being the only Bowl Championship Subdivision team among 26 schools nationally that posted a multiyear APR score in the top ten percent, in addition to finishing the 2009 season ranked in both the USA Today Coaches poll and Associated Press poll.