Marquise Blair could have the opportunity to get some playing time as a freshman, if he can get his grades up. 
Doug Haas, Blair’s high school football coach, said the safety needs to keep a B average in his last semester at Wooster High School in Ohio to play for the Orange next year, according to syracuse.com.
“The classes that he’s enrolled in now, if he were to get B’s or better, he’s projected to be a qualifier,‚Äù Haas said.
Blair is one of the most anticipated recruits in Syracuse’s 2015 class. He led Wooster in tackles this season with 75 and also added 35 receptions for 11 touchdowns at the wide receiver position. The Orange have a thin secondary coming back next year, and the addition of an athletic Blair could be of immediate use to the team.
The NCAA Clearinghouse, which determines a player’s Division I eligibility, uses a sliding scale that balances standardized test scores and GPA to set academic requirements. Syracuse.com reported that Blair plans to take the ACT twice more before he graduates. The challenge for him in the classroom wouldn’t be as difficult if he was able to improve his test scores.
“Academically, he’s still plugging away,” Haas told syracuse.com. “He knows it and I’ve told everybody, it’s one of those things where it’s going to come down to the wire. He’s really worked extremely hard in the classroom and has been very, very diligent with it.‚Äù
If Blair does not make the grade in his final semester at Wooster, he could still be eligible for an academic redshirt.
Posted:  Nathan Dickinson
