Walk on class
- Thread starter HBK4life
- Start date
Nobody knows for sure, but it sounds like the walk-on numbers are going to be scaled back. And I think that will give the guys that we do get more of an opportunity to get attention and reps.
Seagren is a sleeper. Good size and athleticism being a multi-sport kid. Moving from TE to left tackle.
It's a mystery to me how Cole Ballard, with his production in HS and 4.0 GPA, didn't get more offers. But I'm glad we got him.
Seagren is a sleeper. Good size and athleticism being a multi-sport kid. Moving from TE to left tackle.
It's a mystery to me how Cole Ballard, with his production in HS and 4.0 GPA, didn't get more offers. But I'm glad we got him.
Cole Ballard is a very good player and were fortunate to Jane him walking on.
Can’t believe someone’s like No Dakota St or South Dakota St didn’t offer him either..
I got to watch Seagren play against Fremont Bergan this year, he was dominant in the run game, destroyed guys all game. Was pretty dang good on defense as well.
My rambling thoughts on the walk on program -
- when the team is good, the walk ons are better. Kids will forego a DII or FCS partial scholarship to play for the hometown team. When the team is not good, those players take the scholarships, so the talent of the walk ons that do come to Lincoln is lower.
- when used properly, the walk on program can be a benefit. Getting kids that love the program, the state and football can be infectious and end up motivating higher rated players that aren't from Nebraska or aren't familiar with the passion of the state.
- in that same vein, walk ons should never be used, by the coaches as "motivators". Playing a kid that isn't as talented in hopes of motivating the others, does no one any good. As I stated, most walk ons will work as hard as anyone, that should be the motivating part, but they should not be used as a weapon. That is demoralizing to all involved.
- you do not need 70 walk ons in a program, there is no way you are giving 150 kids an opportunity to prove themselves. More is not always better. The walk on program should be more like the practice squad in the NFL.
- the walk on program is a bit of a tall tale. Yes some walk ons have had success, but in reality, exponentially more walk ons leave after 1 or 2 years having never sniffed the 5 deep.
I am sure there is more thoughts in my head about walk ons, but that is a start.
- when the team is good, the walk ons are better. Kids will forego a DII or FCS partial scholarship to play for the hometown team. When the team is not good, those players take the scholarships, so the talent of the walk ons that do come to Lincoln is lower.
- when used properly, the walk on program can be a benefit. Getting kids that love the program, the state and football can be infectious and end up motivating higher rated players that aren't from Nebraska or aren't familiar with the passion of the state.
- in that same vein, walk ons should never be used, by the coaches as "motivators". Playing a kid that isn't as talented in hopes of motivating the others, does no one any good. As I stated, most walk ons will work as hard as anyone, that should be the motivating part, but they should not be used as a weapon. That is demoralizing to all involved.
- you do not need 70 walk ons in a program, there is no way you are giving 150 kids an opportunity to prove themselves. More is not always better. The walk on program should be more like the practice squad in the NFL.
- the walk on program is a bit of a tall tale. Yes some walk ons have had success, but in reality, exponentially more walk ons leave after 1 or 2 years having never sniffed the 5 deep.
I am sure there is more thoughts in my head about walk ons, but that is a start.
At this point, for every walk on we take, two need to see the door. Evaluate hard and get down to a more workable roster size.
Maybe he earned an academic scholarship that made it easier for him to walk on? Didn't the NCAA finally get rid of its stupid rules that penalized football players who were on academic scholarships?
Watch that run about 30 seconds in on his highlight reel. That was crazy impressive.
Maybe, walk ons could always use academic and other scholarships as long as they weren't "recruited for football". So guys that were PWOs or were offered a visit, had to be on football scholarship and not academic university money. I honestly don't know if that changed.
I think the walk on program CAN/COULD be a big contributor if used properly. These days a properly developed NIL effort could basically make being a select walk-on equal to being a scholarship player (in terms of financials). That's very meaningful change from the Osborne days (although some would claim we had those "county scholarships" back then - ha, ha).
No clear idea yet though how Rhule sees it.
P.S. You could actually have those "county scholarships" these days. The county just would have to fund a worthy player through NIL and it would be legal.
No clear idea yet though how Rhule sees it.
P.S. You could actually have those "county scholarships" these days. The county just would have to fund a worthy player through NIL and it would be legal.
Yes yes yes. High school TE built in to a tackle. I’ve been beating that drum for years.
Thanks for the details. I thought I read that it had been loosened in recent years, but I could be mistaken. A hundred years ago when I was at UNL, there was a walk-on TE who had to ditch his Regents Scholarship because he had finally clawed his way onto the two-deep. Thank goodness the NCAA was on hand to clamp down on that.
The Dakota schools won’t offer a kid if they’re sure he has no interest in signing with them. I think it’s just a philosophy on concentrating their time and recruiting budget on kids they think they have a legit shot at.
Hell, the NFL always seems to have a dozen or more former tight ends playing in the offensive line.
