Challenges to a robust walk-on program in 2017

Kiyoat Husker

Kiyoat Husker

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What are everyone's thoughts on the changes in college football that have made having a big, contributing walk-on program at Nebraska more difficult?

What can be done to get around these obstacles?  I feel like HCSF sounded determined to make it happen, and i tend to believe that he will try.  T.O. always seemed to be good at finding creative solutions to Nebraska's disadvantages.  How is Nebraska going to convince players NOT to take advantage of scholarship opportunities?  Are NCAA rules about number of coaches and practice time an obstacle?  How about "volunteer" coaches?

Or is it just as simple as the fact that past coaches just didn't "get it"?

Even Frank started the trend of a smaller walk-on program, IIRC.

 
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There are lots of challenges that make having the same type of walk-on program we used to have hard in 2017.

Kids can go get a scholarship at other schools, still be on TV and still be a part of an exciting program.  Also, one of the biggest obstacles is the cost of education.  You are basically asking a kid to give up over $20,000 per year just to walk on at Nebraska over going to another school where he has a better chance at playing time.  That's a big difference from in the 80s when I was in school.

Now, how is that fixed?  It's not going to be fixed totally.  It's not going to be like it used to be.  We are still going to lose kids to other schools because they want the scholarship.  However, I think this is where winning helps with in state kids.  If we were a dominant program, someone like Fant would be much more interested in coming to Nebraska than Iowa.  Sure, he would have received a scholarship, but there are a number of players like him who got scholarships elsewhere and took them.  If we are winning championships, maybe some of the kids that go to South Dakota State walk on if their family can afford the education.

Now, I am a little confused about something.  We have had a number of walk-ons get playing time the last 5-10 years.  Every year there's some on the field.  So, I'm not sure why people think it's being under utilized or disrespected by the coaching staff.

 
Here are my thoughts on the walk-on program.

1.  It is more difficult to get kids to walk-on in today's environment.  College is getting more and more expensive every year, and with numerous colleges nearby going to the D-1 FCS level, kids still like to say "I am a D-1 scholarship athlete".  That said, I still think the walk-on program can be effective.

2.  I think all of the coaches post-Solich have struggled to manage the walk-on program.  Yes, there were players under all the regimes that came through as walk-ons and excelled, but I think Callahan, Bo, and Riley preferred to have a smaller roster to manage.  Callahan wanted hardly any walk-ons, Bo increased that a bit, and Riley kept it around the same as Bo, or a little lower.

3.  I think where the walk-on program can excel is if the coaches can use the walk-ons to push the players in practice.  If the new coaching staff is able to run 2 practice stations simultaneously, this means less standing around and more work getting done by everyone.  The key is for the coaches to treat all the players on the roster the same, regardless of whether they are a 4-star recruit or a walk-on from Podunk-town, Nebraska.

 
I'll be interested to see if some of our large non-coach football staff can somehow help manage a larger group of walk-ons without running afoul of the NCAA.  I have no idea what all the specifics are with regard to those rules.

 
I agree with what BRB and ColoradoHusk have said. It just can't be today what it used to be but if managed correctly can still have value to the program. There is just no way to run multiple station practices like they did in the 90's with the reduced numbers. The thing that will help the walk on situation the most is winning and getting back to where a majority of the in state kids really want to be a Husker. I doubt there are too many of those kids currently who dream of playing for Nebraska. It hasn't been a desirous deal for a long time and it will take awhile to get it back to that point. Winning will help but still with the reduced numbers and cost of college it just can't be what it was but I think Frost will find a way to make it as advantageous as is possible.

 
Exactly what those sacrifices are remains to be seen, but there are Title IX implications that could come into play if NU wants to raise the total number of athletes in a male sport like football.

“I’ve got to get a feel for where we are right now in regards to compliance to the gender equity piece,” Moos said. “I liked the concept of the walk-on piece. How high we can raise that cap, we’re going to have to explore. I have on two occasions spent a good deal of time with Tom Osborne talking about his philosophy on that subject back in the days that he was coaching and it’s very, very interesting. It has, in the past, been very successful.

“It’s something Scott wants to explore and I do as well.”
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LJS

 
Mavric said:
LJS
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I think first thing they’re looking at is obviously what they’re doing now, what it realistically could be and how could they make it better...if they truly believe they can get it back to what it was with huge numbers roster wise like the 90s then title IX would come into play as far as numbers. It’s not just scholarship but number of female and male athletes total. They would have to think of a women’s sport to add or force women’s programs to add walk ons themselves. You may see other men’s sports force to reduce numbers but that’s aboit it. It would be a really bad deal if they cut a men’s program for a reason like this but that’s probably not even in their thinking because it would be a really bad look in the eyes of the big ten and even our state. I think simply the cost of college nowadays vs then is just going to make it very hard to make the walk on program what it was however it can still be great and I believe frost will make it great again. It doesn’t need to be 200 people to be great just keep the good talent in the state home.

 
I didn't realize that walkons counted towards title IX numbers.  That definitely qualifies as an obstacle.  When coach Frost talked about sacrifices, I assumed he meant players turning down scholarships at other schools.

 
I was listening to the Ringer's GM Street this past week, and they brought up SF at Nebraska. Mike Lombardi started talking about the walk on program back when TO was HC, and basically said their walk on's had financial funding for college through sponsorships from different entities (not being the university) in the state. Any knowledge about this or is Lombardi just blowing smoke ?

 
I think the biggest issue for Nebraska is the fact that North Dakota State, South Dakota State, South Dakota and North Dakota aren't D-II schools anymore. NDSU and SDSU are FCS powerhouses. USD made the playoffs this year. 

Nebraska has 1.9 million people. North Dakota and South Dakota both have less than 900,000 people. It sounds weird, but those teams recruiting in Nebraska is like Oklahoma or Kansas recruiting in Texas. 

Each situation is different, but a lot of kids wouldn't turn down a full-ride scholarship for an elite FCS school to spend 80 grand walking on at Nebraska. 

 
HerbieHancock said:
I was listening to the Ringer's GM Street this past week, and they brought up SF at Nebraska. Mike Lombardi started talking about the walk on program back when TO was HC, and basically said their walk on's had financial funding for college through sponsorships from different entities (not being the university) in the state. Any knowledge about this or is Lombardi just blowing smoke ?
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He is blowing smoke, another regurgitation of the County Scholarship myth.

 
Hans Gruber said:
I think the biggest issue for Nebraska is the fact that North Dakota State, South Dakota State, South Dakota and North Dakota aren't D-II schools anymore. NDSU and SDSU are FCS powerhouses. USD made the playoffs this year. 

Nebraska has 1.9 million people. North Dakota and South Dakota both have less than 900,000 people. It sounds weird, but those teams recruiting in Nebraska is like Oklahoma or Kansas recruiting in Texas. 

Each situation is different, but a lot of kids wouldn't turn down a full-ride scholarship for an elite FCS school to spend 80 grand walking on at Nebraska. 
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Excellent point. The number of schools moving up in divisions has risen drastically since the 90s. There are a lot of scholarship opportunities these days.

 
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