WHY OFFERING A SCHOLARSHIP TO A WALK-ON IS A GOOD IDEA...
Below is a reprint of an article on the Virginia
Tech message board. A lot of the VT references have been removed. After all, Jared
Horn is not the only BLUE walking on this year (at Virginia Tech), Michael Mabe is walking on
at ETSU and Matt McGlothlin is (in a sense) at Fork Union.
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Much has been said about the "opportunity" a school affords walk-on players. Let's qualify and
quantify that opportunity. The player gets to work like a dog each day all summer and into
the fall, eat 6 meals a day and consume 7,000 calories a day to increase weight and strength.
This is done, not for the promise of an NFL career or even for a scholarship, but for the right
to play football for the SCHOOL. The competition is fierce. The player competes with other
talented athletes for a spot on the team. A scholarship player fights for a spot on the depth
chart. Walk-ons fight to play another day as a Hokie, or a Buc or Fork Union Cadet.
What every walk-on adds to the football squad is effort and spirit. Is there a coincidence that
the leaders in hustle and effort on a team are walk-ons? Of course not. Part of what makes
football what it is at these schools comes from the effort a player gives to get stronger and
faster. A walk-on inspires and motivates his teammates. A superior athlete like a Lee Suggs
(VT) with all of his tools, does not become a All American caliber running-back until he began
put forth similar effort.
Natural talent is important, but talent without a work ethic is, well, second class football. All
who follow football can honestly say....that none of the walk-ons are slackers, the slackers get
cut.
Every walk-on currently on a team’s depth chart or is in the system has "made it" and, more
importantly contributes to the work ethic and attitude that has brought Hokie, Buc or Cadet
football to where it is today. The accomplishments of a 150 lb wide receiver walk-on rivals that
of any athlete on the roster and should serve as an inspiration for all of the team.
Why "waste" a scholarship on a walk-on? It's a ridiculous question to even pose. Such a player
contributes as much as half of the athletes on scholarship. Shouldn't he get rewarded for
playing well? If he doesn't, a "glass ceiling" forms and there is little
motivation for anyone other than the "Rudys" of the world to walk-on. The trademark of
Virginia Tech, Nebraska or other school who encourages walk-on candidates is a shot at
playing time, starting and for a chosen few–a shot at a professional career.
Which leads to the "preferred" walk-on players like Matt, Jared and Michael. These are players
that are recruited with specific promises attached. These promises usually include:
participation in the fall two-a-days, guaranteed red shirt year, "immunity" (for lack
of a better term) from cuts, a roster number, and a scholarship, if certain goals are achieved
(generally it's making the two-deep rotation in a specified amount of time). Generally, there
are only 2-5 preferred walk-ons a year depending on the school. A talent rich Virginia Tech
might have 1-3 whereas ETSU will have 3-5.
The “preferred” players are the ones coaches are sure will contribute to the team, but due to
lack of other schools’ interest (or an overabundance of players in the pipeline), the coaches
decided not to extend a scholarship offer. Of course, there are preferred walk-ons who don’’t
go the distance, due to academics, injury, or inability to push aside a talented scholarship
player. The "preferred" walk-on program brings players with borderline D-1A talent, or players
lacking in strength or speed, and exposes them to a top flight strength and conditioning coach
or program. Any player that graduates from such a program and contributes is well worth a
scholarship.
