Nope. They can fail classes and it doesnt affect their scholarship. All it does is affect their eligibity to compete on the field. Numerous scholarship players on all college rosters are academically inelibigble at times. Even with tutors and a padded schedule, a lot are still too stupid to be be able to maintain a passing grade and remain eligible. The coaches, tutors and staff work diligently to make sure they "make grades" but sometimes they still fail. Athletes are also likely to try harder in the fall so that they can play. Without playing time as an incentive this fall, there will be many that dig a big academic hole for themselves that they will have to climb out of before they are eligible to take the field next year or in the spring. Summer term is normally used to help get the gpa's up enough that they can play in the fall.