Columbus Scotus fullback/kicker Jake Bos finished his high school career as arguably the most accomplished three-sport athlete in the state. He played a vital role as an all-state fullback/linebacker/kicker on the Shamrock’s Class C-1 state championship football team. He even drilled a 53 and 42-yard field goals wearing a cowboy collar in their state championship win over Norfolk Catholic in Memorial Stadium.
What’s even more impressive is as a wrestler in Class B, Bos finished second place in the 195-pound weight class with a 49-8 record. It was only his third year ever wrestling, and just the fourth-year Scotus even fielded a wrestling team.
However, maybe his most impressive feat came on the soccer field, where he was an all-state midfielder on the Shamrock’s three-consecutive Class B state championship teams.
With a list of accomplishments like this, one might think the 5-foot-11, 210 pound Bos had a laundry list of college options. Sure he heard from the likes of Nebraska-Kearney and even had walk-on offers from Wyoming and Iowa State to kick, but he put all of that aside to pursue a lifelong “dream” – to walk-on at Nebraska.
The only thing is, as of June 1 he’s not been guaranteed a roster spot, and instead will have to try his luck in the open walk-on try out this fall.
“Our head football coach got me some contacts at Nebraska, and they said they didn’t have a spot on the team for a walk-on yet, but they said if I came and tried out I could maybe get a spot,” Bos said.
It almost seems nuts an athlete like Bos is not even guaranteed a spot on the roster at this point as walk-on. Years ago, these were the type of walk-ons Tom Osborne made a living on. Kids that were great multi-sport athletes with upside, but needed to get into the strength program for two to three years to develop into Division I football players. That’s what was different about Nebraska and Osborne recognized that. Very few of the state’s top prospects were fully developed, and Osborne recognized it was his job to make that happen once they got to NU.
