NU's prestigious Walk-on program

Should Callahan "downsize"

  • It's the 21st century, times are a changin', NU needs to cut a many of their players.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Some changes need to be made, some reduction is needed.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Callahan has gone too far, absolutely no changes to the walk-on program are necessary.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
R

Redout

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This is a real touchy subject. It seems everyday a piece of Nebraska's tradition is being eatin' away.

Callahan has a point. 170 players is entirely too many players. BUt then what is a suitable number, if any. Do you evaluate every player and a set guideline to follow and decrease as many as necessary. Or do you set a number, at say, 130.

You can only have so many coaches. They can't watch all of these players. I believe this is another effort to make the program better. With scholorship reductions kids have less hope and aren't trying as much as the past to get on the team this way.

Although, NU's best weapon this year was Punter Kyle Larson. A walk-on from Funk, Nebraska.

This is a very interesting topic.

redout

 
Yes it is and it is just another "TRADITION" that will be eliminated by"WANNA BE" Coach Pederson. Smash mouth football in exchange for short 5 yard passes. Instate recruits for west coast type atheletes from Californnia and upper midwest.

 
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Yes I understand WY Husker, I know your upset, but it's not as if the University is not giving reasons behind their moves. Do you understand why their doing it?? It's a buisness. NU has to move forward. Nobody runs, runs, runs anymore. You can't win like that.

redout

 
Yes and the list goes on and on for walk-ons that walked our way to championships. This hurts. It hurts in many ways. It hurts NE football on all levels, and there will be residual effects from this move for a long long time. Many of which we will never realize. I have to ask, what are we truly gaining from this? I realize that it will result in saving money, and allow for more attention to be spent with the "legit players", but come on, wont the so-called benefits be so trivial that they will never even be noticed? What do you guys think the worst part of this is?

Negative effect on NE highschool football

Less depth

Less chance for emerging stars a la Larson

Will it depreciate the fan loyalty base, which was mainly a result of everyone feeling close to the team, simply b/c everyone at one time knew someone on the team.

Will this reduce the "Husker family" feeling?

What else? Man there are so many..

 
The other side of this is less walk-ons, but the way Callahan is recruiting do we need this many walk-ons.

The trade -off hopefully is we won't need them as much.

Besides Larson, Rickets was also a walk-on, but I don't believe he would have started for any legit team in the Big 12.

I just not sure I see it anymore, not completely gone, but I think Numbers have to be cut to allow for more time with legit players.

redout

 
I find the reasoning for this to be dubious, at best. At one time, before the scholarship limitations, schools routinely had numbers similar to Nebraska. If they could handle them then, why not now?

While it is always a slim chance, the occasional "break through" player will come from the walk-on ranks. Why take the chance on losing even that possibility?

 
Have they been able to handle it all along??? That question will need to be answered by past coaches.

But wouldn't logic tell us, in very loose numbers, it's easier to coach 130 players with 10 coaches instead of 170 players with 10 coaches. More attention things like that would occur.

You would work with 85 scholorshp players, who at least 60-80% are going to see the field and make the significant contribution as opposed to the 85 walk-ons where Nebraska may have 1-5 make a significant contribution.

redout

 
I've enjoyed the talk on our walk on changes to me , it's our lost of our innocense and I agree about the fan base lost these guys, were from all parts of the statew and people in these small towns took big pride in those who played for the huskers.

We have seem to fallen into the big hype of the west coast offense it's, been around since the early 80's and both pro's and college teams been using it but,defense has still won the big games.You know I'm,sure going to miss the third quarter we we would start taking over because we were beating the hell out of the other teams. Hopefully we'll still have something to take pride in when all the dust settles.

 
WOW! That's a great tradition, allowing so many walk-ons. I'm sure some of the walk=ons were given scholastic or other scholarships to make up for not getting athletic scholarships, but that is still impressive.

I would like to know a few of your ex-walkons that went on to become superstars or at least major contibutors. List away...........

 
I know the Mackavicka'a were walk-on, the one is still in the pros. Jared Tomich, All American. Larson form this year. There's a bunch of 'em. Who knows more. ????????I'm missing some obvious ones

redout

 
John Parrella I believe was. Also on a similar note keep in mind that NU currently has the most active NFL players out of the Big 12 at 32.

Large in part to the walk-on program.

 
Yes it is and it is just another "TRADITION" that will be eliminated by"WANNA BE" Coach Pederson. Smash mouth football in exchange for short 5 yard passes. Instate recruits for west coast type atheletes from Californnia and upper midwest.
Click to expand...
Two words. Courtney Grixby.

 
Here's a question. Considering the desire for our "home growns" to play for NU, do you think that this situation will further motivate some of our HS players, push them to work harder? I don't know, just a thought.

 
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