Red Five
New member
Puzzling.
On Sept. 11th, SF was fired. Just wait until Oct. 1 ...... half the amount $$$ buyout. :dunno
Sept 10 -- Georgia Southern
Sept 17 -- OUtlaw
Sept 24 -- Bye Week
Oct 1 -- Hoosiers
Arrival/Departure List 2022-23
- Thread starter NsideScoop
- Start date
Gorillahawk
New member
I think it's two things. They want to live their dream of playing at NU, and they help the university by paying full tuition so why not? I know it's the exception not the rule but it's not unheard of for a walk-on being a late developer/extra hard worker who develops into a legit contributor. It's an almost zero risk investment
Red Five
New member
A) The NU football team is a $100M corporation. It should be ran like that and not a place we they are taking marginal kids because it was their dream to play at NU. With the transfer portal you can just grab these kids out of FCS/DII after they have proven themselves.
B) Too many walk-ons lead to a bloated roster where there are so many 4th/5th/6th stringers that younger players don't get the proper development due to lack of reps and 1 on 1 coaching. (And don't tell me that TO ran 6 stations every practice. That was 30+ years ago).
Last edited by a moderator:
Red Five
New member
Regarding using NIL to get to 85, I am not a fan of that.
There is a finite amount of NIL dollars. I would much prefer that money keeping the "stars" of the team happy or bringing in high profile transfers instead giving a "NIL pseudo-scholarship" to 3rd/4th stringers that are the 86th through 90th best players on the team.
There is a finite amount of NIL dollars. I would much prefer that money keeping the "stars" of the team happy or bringing in high profile transfers instead giving a "NIL pseudo-scholarship" to 3rd/4th stringers that are the 86th through 90th best players on the team.
84HuskerLaw
New member
There have always been some walkons that were essentially roster filler in some respects but as recruiting declined dramatically during the first 4 years of Solich, the quality of walkons (talent / capability) declined as well. There were walkons by 2002 that were below the Div 2 level, mostly just to give the team numbers.
The first and seconds were becoming third stringers. From that, the quality of backups and scout team declined and practice reps tended to give a false look in game preps and competition across the roster generally.
Callahan promptly reduced the walk on numbers for the simple idea that many were just not D-1 capable and would take up valuable practice and coaching time etc.
Reviving recruiting generally helped but it has never been nearly as vigorously and methodically run since. It appears Rhule has a detailed, systematic and energetic effort to find and pursue more quality players.
Today, after NU has fallen from the top ten to the middle (or less ?) of Div 1. This handicaps ANY recruiting seriously. Thus, the time table to restore Neb fb to the upper tier will be more gradual and time delayed than some Husker fans understand. The support for Urban Meyer or a few other splash type HC hires was largely a response to the desire to find immediate, transformative recruiting. Rhule has a little splash but mostly is just reorganizing and energizing the process and he literally hired the staff with a big emphasis on reopening the recruiting doors with NIL $ as a way to ‘buy’ much better players than could have been otherwise even be considered.
Rhule is trying to do the rebuild of Neb football as a program by out working and hustling with NIL $ as the Ace trump card to close deals. Imo. It’s better but it’s a multi year time frame. I like this first batch and short term help is coming this fall but no miraculous change should be expected. Better coaching and schemes coupled with some returning experience and a less daunting (not easy) schedule can help too. Still, 2023 will be a very difficult road. Going bowling is probable but should also be greatly appreciated if it happens. Imo.
The first and seconds were becoming third stringers. From that, the quality of backups and scout team declined and practice reps tended to give a false look in game preps and competition across the roster generally.
Callahan promptly reduced the walk on numbers for the simple idea that many were just not D-1 capable and would take up valuable practice and coaching time etc.
Reviving recruiting generally helped but it has never been nearly as vigorously and methodically run since. It appears Rhule has a detailed, systematic and energetic effort to find and pursue more quality players.
Today, after NU has fallen from the top ten to the middle (or less ?) of Div 1. This handicaps ANY recruiting seriously. Thus, the time table to restore Neb fb to the upper tier will be more gradual and time delayed than some Husker fans understand. The support for Urban Meyer or a few other splash type HC hires was largely a response to the desire to find immediate, transformative recruiting. Rhule has a little splash but mostly is just reorganizing and energizing the process and he literally hired the staff with a big emphasis on reopening the recruiting doors with NIL $ as a way to ‘buy’ much better players than could have been otherwise even be considered.
Rhule is trying to do the rebuild of Neb football as a program by out working and hustling with NIL $ as the Ace trump card to close deals. Imo. It’s better but it’s a multi year time frame. I like this first batch and short term help is coming this fall but no miraculous change should be expected. Better coaching and schemes coupled with some returning experience and a less daunting (not easy) schedule can help too. Still, 2023 will be a very difficult road. Going bowling is probable but should also be greatly appreciated if it happens. Imo.
JJ Husker
Well-known member
The discussion tangent you replied to was not about using NIL $$ to pay tuition in place of a scholly. It was about the hair-brained notion that Nebraska could become a feeder program for UNK.
BigRedBuster
Well-known member
Last edited by a moderator:
Red Five
New member
It will be interesting to see what this looks like come fall. I know the 101 will become 85, so the 147 will automatically become 131. But 131 is still way to many kids IMO. I think the sweet spot is somewhere around 105-110 (about 5 walk-ons/year).
Seems like we've had this conversation before but I think your number is low. I can't find it now but my recollection is the average is about 118. So 115-120 is probably more accurate. And we might be a bit higher than average.
BigRedBuster
Well-known member
I wouldn't have a problem with roughy 30-35 walkons. That probably would be at least 10 per class. They weed out over time with kids either realizing they aren't going to play and quit, or move down a level.
Work at getting the best 10 per class you can find. Those 10 would have a better chance of actually developing into contributors because they will have more coaching than when there's 65 walkons at practice.
Work at getting the best 10 per class you can find. Those 10 would have a better chance of actually developing into contributors because they will have more coaching than when there's 65 walkons at practice.
JJ Husker
Well-known member
So, you guys that pay attention to scholly distribution (I never really have), what should those numbers look like considering our current situation?
Here’s my guess just based on the numbers.
QB 4 (-2)
RB 5 (-1)
WR 12 (-4)
TE 6 (-2)
OL 12 (-3)
DL 10 (-1)
Edge 4 (+1)
LB 8 (-2)
Nickel & DB 20 (-2)
K/P/LS 4 (-0)
Kamaru Usman (UFC) is the most notable athlete in any regard to come from UNK. Couple of practice squad guys (Mason Brodine) is one that stands out as far as football is concerned.