New NCAA president Mark Emmert has seen the academic culture changing in college sports, and now he has the numbers to prove it.

Student-athletes are earning degrees at record rates, graduate at higher rates than other students, and football players and black men’s basketball players are making big gains in the classroom, the NCAA said Wednesday in releasing its annual Graduation Success Rate figures.

The report shows 79 percent of all Div. I athletes entering school between 2000-01 and 2003-04 earned a degree within six years. That matches last year’s record number.

The latest freshman class, from 2003-04, also hit 79 percent, tying the record mark set each of the past two years.

“The reality is that student-athletes are doing at least as well as other students at universities,” Emmert said during a conference call. “The dumb jock myth is just that, a myth.”

NCAA

Ex-Rice DB sues over scholarship

A former Rice University football player is suing the NCAA over its policy to limit athletic scholarships to one-year, renewable awards.

Joseph Agnew played two seasons for the private Houston school before coaches told him in 2007 his scholarship would not be renewed. Agnew was a highly recruited prep player at Southlake Carroll near Fort Worth before a series of injuries his sophomore year.

Baseball

Blue Jays to keep Molina

Toronto — The Toronto Blue Jays have exercised their $1.2 million option for catcher Jose Molina, keeping with the team through the 2011 season.

Polanco needs surgery

Philadelphia — Phillies third baseman Placido Polanco will have surgery on his left elbow Friday and is expected to be ready for spring training.

NFL

Chiefs sign LB Simoneau

Kansas City, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs have signed free-agent linebacker Mark Simoneau, a 33-year-old veteran who’s joining his fourth NFL team.

Terms of the signing announced Wednesday were not released. The Chiefs released defensive lineman Atiyyah Ellison to make room on the roster.

Simoneau hasn’t played since he suffered a back injury in 2007. He has 68 starts in 123 career games.

Simoneau was a third-round draft pick in 2000 out of Kansas State, where he had 400 career tackles. He played with Atlanta from 2000-2002, Philadelphia from 2003-2005 and New Orleans in 2006 and 2007.

The Chiefs also said Wednesday they added rookie wide receiver Jeremy Horne to the practice squad.

In other NFL news:

• Jason Campbell sure acts like he’s going to be the Oakland Raiders’ starting quarterback this week, even if coach Tom Cable isn’t saying so. Campbell and third-stringer Kyle Boller split reps with Oakland’s first team offense in practice Wednesday while Bruce Gradkowski remains limited due to a sore throwing shoulder.

• The Detroit Lions have placed linebacker Zack Follett on season-ending injured reserve on Wednesday due to a neck injury.

• With quarterback Alex Smith ruled out because of a separated shoulder, San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Singletary is gambling on Troy Smith being able to turn his struggling team around. Singletary said Wednesday the former Heisman Trophy winner will get his first NFL start in three years after Alex Smith was ruled out for two to three weeks because of a separated left shoulder.

• Seahawks rookie left tackle Russell Okung is still a question mark for Sunday’s game at Oakland due to a left high-ankle sprain.

• Buffalo Bills starting left tackle Demetrius Bell missed practice due to a knee injury, leaving his status uncertain for the winless team’s game at Kansas City on Sunday.

• The St. Louis Rams have signed safety Michael Lewis, released earlier this month by the San Francisco 49ers.

• Vince Young’s left knee and ankle are feeling good enough that the Tennessee quarterback returned to practice for the first time since spraining his leg on Oct. 18. Whether he plays Sunday when the Titans (5-2) visit San Diego (2-5) remains to be seen.

• Brett Favre is not ruling himself out of Sunday’s game at New England despite two fractures in his left ankle.

• Green Bay Packers linebacker Brad Jones is out for the season following a right shoulder injury that will need surgery.