NU's prestigious Walk-on program

[AR Husker Fan]

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.

Actually, I'd guess just the opposite. A lot of kids recognize that they aren't scholarship material - it may take them time, and they may not like it, but they pretty soon realize that their only chance is to walk on. But they desperately want to play at Nebraska. They continue to work toward that goal.

Now? They have to assume that if they aren't the cream of the walk-on crop, there's no need to bust their hump - they aren't going to even get a look.

 

[BigRedMachine]

Heres an interesting art about our boy IM Hipp, who I didnt even realize was a walk on b/c he was so damn good. This is an example of the risk we take by reducing this X factor. I just dont see how the "reward" outweighs the "risk" of maintaining the walk on program as is. We had MANY successful years with the large number of walk ons in tact, and I would argue that there was a direct correlation b/t the walk ons and the success. They benefit the program in more ways than we even realize. I know there are expenses and burdens with a roster of 170 players, but to me its a small price to pay for diamonds like IM Hipp.

"I always was a Nebraska fan," he said. "Most people in the neighborhood, when the annual game was played on Thanksgiving Day against Oklahoma, rooted for Oklahoma. I always pulled for Nebraska. I believed in the tradition. I loved to win," Hipp said.

"When I went into the auditorium, all the blue-chippers and lettermen were there, and everybody walked up and asked, 'How can we help you?' " Hipp recalled. "I told him that I came to play football."

"I was a walk-on, and I'm still a walk-on, and I carry it with me in my heart."

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_np=0&u_pg...38&u_sid=988825

 

[DaveH]

People talk like he is going to cut the program totally. If the walk-on players are good

enough, they will make the team. If they aren't, they won't. Instead of possibly like

it is now where you just ride along with the team = dead weight.

 

[BigRedJohnson]

Daves right. They said to "a manageable level". Now of course their def of manageable remains to be seen, but Id have to think its more targeted at the players who obviously arent going to be impact players. I know they help w/ practice and all, but its pretty expensive practice dummies. Plus it will actually help the local colleges who will get some good players outta this. This is not a bad thing guys.

 

[Cornshucker]

Correct me if I'm wrong. But wasn't the walkon program under TO historically most contributing to the offensive line and full back positions? Seems like there used to be a continuous supply of those guys filling the 2 and 3 deep roster. The staff would always hold a few scholarships for the ones that made it to the 2 or 3 deep status. Which is correct? It was a logical program in that if you give a full ride to a recruit that never contributes (and every class always has a few); That scholarship is wasted. With a walkon, the scholarship is never given until the goods are delivered. A pretty good insurance program. Once again, correct me if I'm wrong; but under Frank did it appear that many of those higher potential type of guys opted to accept guaranteed scholarships out of state rather than walkon for a maybe scholarship down the road? How many walkons were starters on the O-line or as fullbacks the past 3 years?

 

[Cornshucker]

I don't think the walkon program of recent was providing the contributers it once had under TO. Cal evidently sees many of them as excess weight with little future potential. We know it was a valid contributor in the recent past. And that it worked. It was a common occurrence during a televised game to hear the announcer state about a given performance of a "walkon" player. I don't want to bash Frank. He can't speak for himself. But maybe he trashed it's future for Nebraska instead of Cal. As a side note I have to say that a little emotion always welled up in me when I read the newspaper before Senior Day and read the list of 5th year walkons that never made it to the 3 deep depth chart. They paid their way for 5 years, played very little game time, and were perpetual members of the meat squad. It couldn't have been easy. But it tells a lot about their personal integrity and perseverance. I tip my hat to them. And yes, they can tell their kids they were Huskers.