Walking On?
- Thread starter Kraps
- Start date
Run you until there are only a few that are left standing. They make it as well as the preferred guys that they wanted all along. That's how it was 14 years ago with Getty and Coach Mac any ways. Then they tried really hard to get as many to quit as possible. Once they knew you were mentally and physically strong enough, you were accepted as one of the team.
I was contacted by the coaches as a High School Senior about walking on. I was going to ISU anyways and took the opportunity. I wasn't a preferred walkon (which just means I wasn't invited to 2 a days), so my first day was the first day of classes. We had to do a conditioning test, that consisted of 10 100 yard sprints with a 30 second rest between them. Each position group had a time in which they had to get under for all of them. It really wasn't that hard, but it was funny watching people run as fast as they could for the first 5 and then die on the last 5 all while I paced myself and finished with the same time everytime. Because we started the first day of school we didn't get to dress and be on the sidelines for the first game (which happened to be Okie State). The first year it was just being on the scout team and trying to gain respect. After the season the winter strength and conditioning program started. Here you had a chance to show your work ethic and how much you were committed. Then spring ball happens and you get a shot to prove yourself and try to move up the depth chart.
Pretty much it for year 1.
Pretty much it for year 1.
I walked onto Walden's first team, back in the spring of 1987. They had all the players (walk-on hopefuls and returners) run through stations (conditioning, agility, speed, etc.) for a week. The returners were grouped by position and the walk-ons were jumbled together in 2 or 3 groups (not by position). After a few days they moved me into a position group with the returners -- that's when I knew I was in.
Our first game was Okie State,.....a conference game?? When was that? Some where like '97?
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Former roommate of mine tried it last fall. They have you come in at like 6:00am in August to the Bergstrom building and work out in position groups. I don't know many details about how it went, other than a small percentage of those that try out will make the team - but some will, so it's worth a shot.
I mainly just want to be on the team. So, I'm perfectly fine with being on the scout team. But, would I get a number/roster spot? And thanks for the heads up about the 10 100s, now I know what to train for this summer. Also, practice wise, does it interfere a lot with school/studying?
can't speak for football, but I walked on to track team at ISU and they hold walkons to a higher GPA standard but don't always get the same access to the academic facilities the scholarship athletes. I always thought that was kinda weird given the whole "student-athletes going pro in something other than sports" the NCAA always preaches.
So are you currently in High School? If so what year?
Contact the coaching staff (Most likely the recruiting coordinator) and let them know you are interested in walking on. They are usually pretty easy to talk to. They may ask to have your High School coach contact them to talk about you (your skills, mental toughness, work ethic, etc.)
If that all goes well they will probably give you a workout program to follow for the summer so you show up in decent shape.
My biggest advice is you better love football, don't do it "just to be on the team". If you are doing it "just to be on the team" you are dead weight and not helping the team get better. If you are going to do it go in with the initial goal of getting special teams playing time, once you accomplish that goal update it to playing significant minutes on Off or Def or maybe earning a scholarship. As long as you work your *** off and take it seriously you will be fine. Football is going to take up a ton of your time, but it is worth it. I would not trade my time on the ISU football team for anything and I extremely happy I stuck it out even when I wanted to quit.
Is the treatment of a preferred wall on more similar to that of a scholarship player or a normal walk on?
I graduated this spring. I have spoken with a coach already and he told me info about the tryout and meeting. I'm mainly just wanting to know about what actually happens at the tryout, and how long until cuts are made, or if you know you made the team etc.
This would be a great story for CW or BB to run with and of course interview one or two walk-on kids in the program.
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Naturally a scholarship player is given priority since they have a scholarship invested in them. The only difference between a preferred walkon and a normal walkon is that preferred walkons are there for 2 a days and a normal walkon isn't.
The tryout they will just run you to make sure you are in decent shape. They will most likely tell you right after if you made the team.
Not completely true. If you've got a great GPA and are semi athletic, you'll most likely stick. As far as getting a number/roster spot.. if you make the team, you'll get a number, but say you get #8..you're going to be 1/4 #8's on the team (Most likely a freshman thats redshirting, and one offensive and one defensive player) and a roster spot.. no. You'll be at the bottom of the depth chart until that first offseason. They want to see if you can handle the grind your first year before you get a chance to prove yourself, unless you're a kicker/punter/snapper.
This is where most of my confusion comes from. Lets say I do make the team and am 1/4 #8s. I won't be on the roster but I'll have a jersey? Will I be on the sideline for games? Or would I strictly only go to practice and have nothing to do with games? Will I have access to the equipment, apparel, and facilities like the other players?
You may not suit up for the first couple games but after they determine you are serious and committed you will get to suit up. Plus keep in mind the guys already there have been practicing since early to mid-august so they aren't going to let you practice just a week or two and suit up.
You will be on the scout team the first season for sure and you may not even get many reps there because they are going to make sure the scholarship guys that are redshirting are getting reps.
You will have access to equipment, apparel and facilities like the other players, BUT the first year you are not going to get priority on equipment and apparel. For example, Quenton Bundrage may get new socks, gloves, wrist bands, etc. every game you won't. You will get what you are issued for the season.
Like I said before once you make it through the season things kind of reset and then you will get a chance to prove yourself in winter workouts and spring ball.
Feel free to private message me and I can tell you specifically how it was for me progress wise going from walking on, to playing, to getting a scholarship, etc.
