Walk on Program

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

Here's another perspective: I just talked with someone who played on the O-line for UNO in the late 80's. He personally knew 9 that walked on at Nebraska and only one of those ever saw the field (in two games).

[admo]

I'm very okay with the additional 25+ walkons. It doesnt come across as fluff or a decoy to get people excited again. It's very well documented what Dr Tom and Coach P are trying to do with their intentions. So far, so good.

[Cy the Cyclone]

Here's another perspective: I just talked with someone who played on the O-line for UNO in the late 80's. He personally knew 9 that walked on at Nebraska and only one of those ever saw the field (in two games).

 

Maybe...but how many of those 9 guys would have seen the field if there was no walk on program? One guy got his chance and I'm sure the other guys contributed in one way or another. You don't have to be on the field to help the team.

 

A strong walk-on program is good for everyone....

[strigori]

BRI you are correct in that seeing 130 players running out onto the field is something that would be awsome. Is there a maximum that can suit up for a home game?

Home games have no limits, there were times under Osborne that they pushed 200. The NCAA only limits how many can go on away games, I think that is something like 105.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

So you guys really think 160+ guys on a team is good?

Well, if they're good players then yes I do. I think you will get a lot of depth out of the team that way so the injury bug doesn't hurt you as bad. If you look at teams like USC they have one thing alot of teams don't have and that's depth. I'm not saying I want 150 guys just to have 150 guys, but I would rather have 150 good players with some great players in there with some depth than relying so heavily on two or three players to keep my team successful. The problem I do see with it however; is that it will be hard for the coaching staff to keep an eye on all of them.

[restored_order]

So you guys really think 160+ guys on a team is good?

Just because Calllllllahan couldn't handle a bigger roster, it doesn't mean that it can't be done. There are lots of things he didn't do well.

[skersOVRsc]

BRI you are correct in that seeing 130 players running out onto the field is something that would be awsome. Is there a maximum that can suit up for a home game?

Home games have no limits, there were times under Osborne that they pushed 200. The NCAA only limits how many can go on away games, I think that is something like 105.

You are correct

[HuskerTrucker]

BRI you are correct in that seeing 130 players running out onto the field is something that would be awsome. Is there a maximum that can suit up for a home game?

Home games have no limits, there were times under Osborne that they pushed 200. The NCAA only limits how many can go on away games, I think that is something like 105.

You are correct

Maybe in a few years we could have 200 quality players standing on the sideline...can you imagine how intimidating that would be??

 

[DJR313]

BRI you are correct in that seeing 130 players running out onto the field is something that would be awsome. Is there a maximum that can suit up for a home game?

Home games have no limits, there were times under Osborne that they pushed 200. The NCAA only limits how many can go on away games, I think that is something like 105.

 

I didn't think it was nearly that many for away games. I may be wrong, but I thought there was a cap at about 70-75 for road games in conference and 105 for home games. I think in non-conference, any number can be suited up for home games.

 

People get warm fuzzies when they hear large numbers of walk-ons being brought back. I am not sure if this is the answer. The important thing in getting these walk-ons, is getting the kids that would have gone to UNO, SDSU, Chadron, UNK, etc and been big time scholarship players there. I have read several articles(and even a book) about how the walk-on and roster situations were out of control. Perhaps Osborne will guide Pelini on how to effectively manage the numbers. Pelini has not worked with roster sizes of 180-190 at OU or LSU(from what I could find they were all near 125). If he can make it work, great. If not, then this will be a cold slap in the face to most in the state that the way things were done may not work anymore. I hope they can manage the numbers.

[HuskerTrucker]

BRI you are correct in that seeing 130 players running out onto the field is something that would be awsome. Is there a maximum that can suit up for a home game?

Home games have no limits, there were times under Osborne that they pushed 200. The NCAA only limits how many can go on away games, I think that is something like 105.

 

I didn't think it was nearly that many for away games. I may be wrong, but I thought there was a cap at about 70-75 for road games in conference and 105 for home games. I think in non-conference, any number can be suited up for home games.

 

People get warm fuzzies when they hear large numbers of walk-ons being brought back. I am not sure if this is the answer. The important thing in getting these walk-ons, is getting the kids that would have gone to UNO, SDSU, Chadron, UNK, etc and been big time scholarship players there. I have read several articles(and even a book) about how the walk-on and roster situations were out of control. Perhaps Osborne will guide Pelini on how to effectively manage the numbers. Pelini has not worked with roster sizes of 180-190 at OU or LSU(from what I could find they were all near 125). If he can make it work, great. If not, then this will be a cold slap in the face to most in the state that the way things were done may not work anymore. I hope they can manage the numbers.

 

I think Osborne could put in a lot of say on how the number of players are managed. Bo isn't just walking in off the street, he has been a part of a couple pretty good sized programs in Nebraska and LSU. A lot of it will be farmed out the the assistants. A lot of the workouts will be in groups anyway.

 

I agree with a lot of what you say. Realistically I would say about 150 is tops on the roster. I think there will be a natural outcome in the long term, if a kid really don't think he has a chance to play at some point, I think they would choose another option. If there was 200 kids in the program, and only 11 can be on the field at any one time - 22 starters, the chances are if you are not on the top part of the depth chart, you will never get to play. In that regard, I don't think the university wants to have that many on the roster taking up space either. I do think they would accept 150 kids....but have a hard time thinking they would take any more than that. It would be a neat sight, and intimidating as hell for another team, especially some lesser known team coming in at the start of the season.

 

I wouldn't want them bringing in some guy that would help out a UNO or some other smaller school knowing that he would never probably play for Nebraska. I don't think they would (they might tell him to go to a UNO, and if he stands out there they could always take another look at him as a possible transfer)...but then you also have to realize that it is up to the player where he wants to go to school, then if he can get a roster spot, if he wants to play football or not. Some of the walk ons could inevitably decide to put their money and time into getting the educational experience if they don't feel like they have a realistic shot at getting to play at some point.

 

There will be a few of the scholarship players that will probably redshirt anyway....not sure what the limits are on that, but I would be redshirting as many of them as you could as freshmen to build them up in the weight room unless they were an impact type player...there may only be possibly 2 of those this year IMO.

 

One thing I was glad to hear is that they are holding one of the scholarships possibly to give one of the walk ons that stand out in the spring drills. That gives them something to come in and work their butts off for. It is the walk ons that I am hoping will infuse the energy into the program, and make the scholarship players come in knowing that someone is hungry for the opportunity to play in their place if they don't step up.

 

[hastingshusker]

So you guys really think 160+ guys on a team is good?

 

 

 

Ever watch the movie "Rudy"....Notre Dame basically used the walk ons for tackling dummies so that the starters didn't get hurt.

 

Seriously though, I don't know that I would want more than 150, and that might be pushing it. I think if it is managed right, and everyone is treated equally, but the starters get most of the reps, I don't see a problem. I think Osborne will have some influence on how it is run.

 

I was kind of surprised that they are bringing in 30 walk ons this year though...pleasantly surprised. I don't think the number will be that high in the coming years. I don't think there will be that many spots available after the scholarship players are brought in...but who knows, they may inflate the number of walk ons until it is established, then balance it out with a fixed number each year that is brought in. Only Bo and Dr. Tom knows for sure how they are going to work it.

 

But also in Rudy they mention "The NCAA really hamstrings us with this limit" referencing a maximum number of players that can suit up at home. My question is when did they repeal this rule, if it was even a rule?

[HuskerTrucker]

So you guys really think 160+ guys on a team is good?

 

 

 

Ever watch the movie "Rudy"....Notre Dame basically used the walk ons for tackling dummies so that the starters didn't get hurt.

 

Seriously though, I don't know that I would want more than 150, and that might be pushing it. I think if it is managed right, and everyone is treated equally, but the starters get most of the reps, I don't see a problem. I think Osborne will have some influence on how it is run.

 

I was kind of surprised that they are bringing in 30 walk ons this year though...pleasantly surprised. I don't think the number will be that high in the coming years. I don't think there will be that many spots available after the scholarship players are brought in...but who knows, they may inflate the number of walk ons until it is established, then balance it out with a fixed number each year that is brought in. Only Bo and Dr. Tom knows for sure how they are going to work it.

 

But also in Rudy they mention "The NCAA really hamstrings us with this limit" referencing a maximum number of players that can suit up at home. My question is when did they repeal this rule, if it was even a rule?

I am not sure that there has really ever been a limit on Home games....I knew there was with road games, but figure that is because a lot of stadiums probably don't have the facilities, plus it keeps the travel cost down a little bit.

[teamster]

Walk-ons do two things.

 

1 - they put a passion in the locker room that out of state guys most likely will not have, and that passion for all things Nebraska rubs off. The important thing is for the coaches to treat them exactly the same as a scholarship guy, that didnt happen with Callahan, they were treated like second class players.

 

2 - they add depth, and in a number of cases produce great starters, filling in for scholarship busts. They make an error in picking a scholarship more forgiving.

 

 

(3) Dr. Tom used the additional roster size as a means to operate two offensive and two defensive practice stations simultaneously. Rather than just one of each. This method permitted double the number of players getting quality reps compared to the competition. A plus for building depth at all positions. Some head coaches don't subscribe to this approach.

 

The optimum actual number of walk-ons has been referred to as 'critical mass' by TO.

[dlrn64]

I absolutely LOVE this last reason. Just having two complete teams on offense and defense practicing against each other helps immensely in game prep and reps. It will help us so much in depth and the intensity in practices. Can you imagine the competition for jobs seeing that many guys? It really shouldnt be that hard to get handle on as coaches because as a coach you are watching a specific group that you coach. It will be a great way to "stoke the flames" of competitive juices.

 

Walk-ons do two things.

 

1 - they put a passion in the locker room that out of state guys most likely will not have, and that passion for all things Nebraska rubs off. The important thing is for the coaches to treat them exactly the same as a scholarship guy, that didnt happen with Callahan, they were treated like second class players.

 

2 - they add depth, and in a number of cases produce great starters, filling in for scholarship busts. They make an error in picking a scholarship more forgiving.

 

 

(3) Dr. Tom used the additional roster size as a means to operate two offensive and two defensive practice stations simultaneously. Rather than just one of each. This method permitted double the number of players getting quality reps compared to the competition. A plus for building depth at all positions. Some head coaches don't subscribe to this approach.

 

The optimum actual number of walk-ons has been referred to as 'critical mass' by TO.

[hastingshusker]

So you guys really think 160+ guys on a team is good?

 

 

 

Ever watch the movie "Rudy"....Notre Dame basically used the walk ons for tackling dummies so that the starters didn't get hurt.

 

Seriously though, I don't know that I would want more than 150, and that might be pushing it. I think if it is managed right, and everyone is treated equally, but the starters get most of the reps, I don't see a problem. I think Osborne will have some influence on how it is run.

 

I was kind of surprised that they are bringing in 30 walk ons this year though...pleasantly surprised. I don't think the number will be that high in the coming years. I don't think there will be that many spots available after the scholarship players are brought in...but who knows, they may inflate the number of walk ons until it is established, then balance it out with a fixed number each year that is brought in. Only Bo and Dr. Tom knows for sure how they are going to work it.

 

But also in Rudy they mention "The NCAA really hamstrings us with this limit" referencing a maximum number of players that can suit up at home. My question is when did they repeal this rule, if it was even a rule?

I am not sure that there has really ever been a limit on Home games....I knew there was with road games, but figure that is because a lot of stadiums probably don't have the facilities, plus it keeps the travel cost down a little bit.

 

I figured it was something made up for the movie but didn't know. Thanks