"The higher starred athletes from Minnesota are interested in Minnesota because they are from Minnesota. The ones from out of state are kids looking for a chance and someone to take them. I'm not ripping on anyone. I'd bet you big bucks that many of our higher starred athletes from out of state have lower ACT scores than the Minnesota kids."
Again, you're making conclusions that MAY be true (at least some of the time) but, as the song from Porgy and Bess goes, "It ain't necessarily so."
Kids from Minnesota who have high star ratings who choose to go to MN aren't always doing so because they are from MN. Of course, some kids grow up dreaming of playing for their "home" school. Perhaps that was one of the things that drove Sam Maresh's choice...?
As to your second statement: "I'd bet you big bucks that many of our higher starred athletes from out of state have lower ACT scores than the Minnesota kids" -- where should I begin???
First and foremost, Minnesota is recognized nationally as having one of the top education systems in the country, which would suggest that MN kids would be more likely to post relatively high scores on tests like the ACT.
From the ACT's own website, Minnesota's average composite score for 2008 was 22.6, which was good for a tie with Delaware for the 5th highest average composite score in the country.
Compare that to the composite scores for some of the more recognized football talent-rich states:
Ohio (21.7)
Texas (20.7)
Illinois (20.7)
Florida (19.8)
All of these scores are at at least 24th or below, esssentially in the bottom 50% of average composite scores for states.
Is the reason for these states' lower average composite scores because kids in those states are, on average, more physically gifted and therefore less able to score well on the ACT? Or, is it a combination of many factors, including how good their schools were, how much was expected of them (or how little), parental involvement, etc...?
Go Gophers!!!