locolizard

Zip. Just relaying that we need the walk on program back to challenge the starters in practice to build toughness, something we clearly lack.

Walk Ons” looks at the history of the walk-on program at Nebraska, including Langston Coleman, who in the early 1960s became the first Husker walk-on when he joined Bob Devaney’s squad. The official institution of the walk-on program began in 1973, the first year of Tom Osborne’s reign as Husker head coach, because of a NCAA reduction rule in the number of scholarships that could be offered. Husker walk on: Joel Makovicka In addition to Coleman, former Husker walk-on greats Jeff and Joel Makovicka, Jeff Jamrog and Jason Peter talk about their walk-on experiences, and Osborne, current Husker coach Bo Pelini and sportswriters discuss the past and present impact of the fabled program. Utilizing both vintage and contemporary footage, “Walk Ons” demonstrates how the walk-on players have contributed to Nebraska’s success on the gridiron. Viewers also meet two current Nebraska walk-ons as they aspire to become part of the Big Red team. What is consistently voiced throughout the program is how the walk-on athletes exhibit a hard work ethic, loyalty and the concept of never giving up -- attitudes representative of Nebraska’s tradition of blue-collar values hard work ethic is desperately needed.

Nebraska has a number of factors working against it. It used to be whomever won the Nebraska/Oklahoma game won the old Big 8 conference and played in a major bowl game. Now, In the B1G you play 12 regular season games in a conference with Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan St, Wisconsin & Penn State, Iowa is no slouch either. Then you’ve got to play a conference title game and 2 playoff games vs top 4 teams to win a NC. 2. They are in a state that doesn’t produce a lot of top recruits which means they must recruit out of state talent. Anytime you have to board a plane to recruit at a high level you’re at a disadvantage. 3. It’s been so long since Nebraska was a dominant program that your typical 18 year old recruit doesn’t see anything special about the program. A kid born in 2001 doesn’t know anything about Tom Osborne and the glory days

Super Bowl winner Patriots offense comprised of an average high school recruit ranking of 2.64 and defense was 2.82. Tom Brady wasn’t even ranked out of High School. There’s a method to their success year after year. Devaney and Osborne ran a similar system. We’re going to have to redshirt in masses and reinstate the walk on program and get these guys on the weights/training table. Most of our linemen didn’t play until their 4th year (redshirted juniors mostly walk ons). Wisconsin’s Barry Alvarez emulated our program and has very few 4 and 5 star recruits. List below are some pretty darn good lower ranked recruits out of high school in the NFL. Russell Wilson 2, Jordy Nelson 2, JJ Watt 2, Talib 2, Brady NR, Aaron Rodgers 3, Michael Sherman 3, Big Ben 2, Chris Harris NR. The list goes on....

Tom Osborne had recruiting classes ranked in the 40’s year after year. He only went for high ranked players for skill positions. He also had the luxury of a great walk on program.

We don’t have any depth which is why things implode in the 4th quarter. As far as recruiting, I would go with 2 and 3 star players that have heart. The 4 and 5 star players we have are the ones that Alabama, OSU and other elites didn’t want. Last year’s Super Bowl consisted of predominantly all 2 and 3 star college players, meaning coachable (this is why Belichek has so much success). The coaching carousel has to stop. Kids don’t know who they’ll be playing for year to year if we continue down this road. Nebraska used to always win 9 games a year because of a weak conference under TO but would usually lose a bowl game. The BIG10 is so physical and currently our team gets worn down by the end of the game.