Walk-ons

[ringthebells]

We hear so much about Nebraska's walk on program. I have a bunch of questions. Are there limits to the number of walk-ons a team can have? Are you allowed to hire extra coaches for those guys? Is there any benefit for a walk-on beside the dream of maybe getting on the field one day (tutor, nutrition, etc). What is SDSU's walk-on situation like? Are the rules different from FBS to FCS?

[mnjackrbt]

Re: Walk-ons

Off the top of my head, I will try to break this down. So I may have some inaccuracies here.
FCS Scholarships - 63 Scholarships to divide up between 85 players. (Thanks UWMandSDSU for the correction)
FBS Scholarships - 85 scholarships for 85 players. (Thanks UWMandSDSU for the correction)

Missouri Valley Travel roster limit - Not sure what it is, but there is a limit on how many players you can travel with. I would guess it is around 70? If you are the home team you can dress as many as you'd like on your sideline.

Fall camp roster limit - 110. (Thanks UWMandSDSU for the correction)

In-season roster limit - There is no limit on the number of players on your team while school is in session (also including voluntary summer workouts). Once school starts, you could invite however many players onto your team that you wish. Whether that is players via try out or ones that you recruited out of high school to be a walk on once school started. The goal of a "true" walk on is to make an impression on the scout team in the fall, work hard and improve your body and show a commitment in the winter workouts, turn a few heads in spring ball and earn an invite to fall camp the next fall. Things that will limit the actual number of players on a team include the number of lockers available, coach to player ratios (more time spent coaching walk ons that may not last is less time spent coaching other players), financial resources, and at what point is enough enough for a roster size?

The main reason to have a bigger roster is more practice bodies, but finding quality ones out of those will also be few and far between. You could get some hard working kid who has no natural talent but busts his butt on the field and weight room, and spends countless hours in the film room, who will push the lazy scholarship kid with all the talent in the world and no work ethic.

The benefits to the student-athlete walk on are the same as any other player on the team, aside from scholarship or book money. They still workout with the same coaches, attend the same meetings, have the same athletic training staff, resources to tutors, expectations of being a quality person on and off the field. They are a member of the team. They may have a bit more of an upward path, but with hard work they can get there.

[UWMandSDSU]

Re: Walk-ons

FCS: 63 scholarships between 85 players.
FBS: 85 for 85 (no split).

Fall camp roster limit: 110
"17.10.2.1.2 Limit on Number of Participants. [FBS/FCS] There is limit of 110 student-athletes who may engage
in practice activities prior to the institution's first day of classes or prior to the fifth day before the day of the
institution's first contest, whichever occurs earlier. (Adopted: 1/11/94, Revised: 12/15/06, 4/26/17 effective 8/1/17,
4/25/18)"

[bigticket1]

Re: Walk-ons

A rule that I didn't know existed until this year is that no players beyond the 63 that dress can be on the sidelines for playoff games. Redshirts and other inactive players must watch from the stands.

[SDSUAlum08]

Re: Walk-ons

We hear so much about Nebraska's walk on program. I have a bunch of questions. Are there limits to the number of walk-ons a team can have? Are you allowed to hire extra coaches for those guys? Is there any benefit for a walk-on beside the dream of maybe getting on the field one day (tutor, nutrition, etc). What is SDSU's walk-on situation like? Are the rules different from FBS to FCS?

One thing to consider is that Nebraska kids dream of playing for the Red in Lincoln. They got away with offering walk-on opportunities to kids that maybe even deserved a scholarship but knew they’d stay home. With recruiting services increasing and kids being able to get their tape out there it’s tougher these days to keep them home and turn down a full ride.

[slosho]

Re: Walk-ons

One thing to consider is that Nebraska kids dream of playing for the Red in Lincoln. They got away with offering walk-on opportunities to kids that maybe even deserved a scholarship but knew they’d stay home. With recruiting services increasing and kids being able to get their tape out there it’s tougher these days to keep them home and turn down a full ride.

If I'm a Coach trying to recruit against the "Famed Neb Walk-on" program. I would use the statistics of 1. How many actually play 2.I would show how much worse your chance is in year 2, 3, or 4. and If you know a Kid is going that way I'd point out success that other 2nd and 3rd year transfers have had after leaving.

[centraljack90]

Re: Walk-ons

SDSU's situation IMO is gettin the in-state kids to walk on, unless they are FBS caliber or have many offers from other FCS schools. We dont have the tradition that Nebraska has of kids dreaming to play for Nebraska, but maybe someday it will get there. Many notable walk ons has proven to be great players through SDSU. Goedertt, Cade Johnson, Mitch Erickson, Brandon Hubert. There was a stretch of 7 years when our center was a walk on. Kevin Robling, Ryan McKnight and Will Castle. All 3 of those were all conference honorees, while Mcknight being an All American. Whether coaches miss on kids or it is by design we usually have a few kids start each year who were walk ons.

[ringthebells]

Re: Walk-ons

SDSU's situation IMO is gettin the in-state kids to walk on, unless they are FBS caliber or have many offers from other FCS schools. We dont have the tradition that Nebraska has of kids dreaming to play for Nebraska, but maybe someday it will get there. Many notable walk ons has proven to be great players through SDSU. Goedertt, Cade Johnson, Mitch Erickson, Brandon Hubert. There was a stretch of 7 years when our center was a walk on. Kevin Robling, Ryan McKnight and Will Castle. All 3 of those were all conference honorees, while Mcknight being an All American. Whether coaches miss on kids or it is by design we usually have a few kids start each year who were walk ons.

I agree completely. What does SDSU need to do to expand the walk-on program without sacrificing what we currently do well. Is it just money?

[goon]

Re: Walk-ons

I agree completely. What does SDSU need to do to expand the walk-on program without sacrificing what we currently do well. Is it just money?

There are some like you mentioned that I know castle turned down usd offer that was d2 at the time since he knew he could compete and wanted to play at the d-1 level was worth the chance and I was surprised we didnt offer castle or McKnight but I wonder if coaches knew they had them locked up and didnt need to use a scholarship to land them.

[mnjackrbt]

Re: Walk-ons

SDSU's situation IMO is gettin the in-state kids to walk on, unless they are FBS caliber or have many offers from other FCS schools. We dont have the tradition that Nebraska has of kids dreaming to play for Nebraska, but maybe someday it will get there. Many notable walk ons has proven to be great players through SDSU. Goedertt, Cade Johnson, Mitch Erickson, Brandon Hubert. There was a stretch of 7 years when our center was a walk on. Kevin Robling, Ryan McKnight and Will Castle. All 3 of those were all conference honorees, while Mcknight being an All American. Whether coaches miss on kids or it is by design we usually have a few kids start each year who were walk ons.

And they all worked pretty dang hard and earned scholarships very quickly. I believe Hubert is the only one of those that was not a preferred walk-on, he did not start fall camp with the team. Came once school started. Not sure if it was a try out or he was previously guaranteed a spot once school started.