Nebraska Eyes 155-Member Football Team

[knowlesjam]

An interesting 3-story series in the Omaha World Herald analyzes how Scott Frost is working towards the days of yesteryear when the Nebraska football squad numbered close to 200...back when he played. Title 9 makes this tough as obviously, any increase in football numbers requires equal increases to women's numbers. To do so, Nebraska is adding significant walk-on numbers to the Women's Cross Country and Swimming teams. For example, the cross country team is going from a normal 15-17 member squad to 30. The swimming team is going from a normal 25-30 member squad to 50. This allows for 35 additional football walk-ons.

Per the stories, the women walk-ons will likely never see varsity competition, but they do enjoy the normal perks of being a team member...equipment, coaching, training table for meals, etc. And, adding walk-ons is much cheaper than adding another sport with paid coaches, etc.

Interesting series...you wonder how other schools treat this.

 

[mj4cy]

I guess I didn't realize title 9 affected walkons. I thought just scholarships had to be equal.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Seems like a way to cheat the system, and I'm not even convinced that it will be all that effective.

 

[intrepid27]

Seems like a way to cheat the system, and I'm not even convinced that it will be all that effective.

I agree. I can't fathom very much true talent participating without a reasonable chance to see the field.

 

[CascadeClone]

I agree. I can't fathom very much true talent participating without a reasonable chance to see the field.

What's our # of walkons vs how many turn into real contributors? I can only think of a few offhand but seems like there is 1 every year. Well, if we have say 20 walkons (and I have no idea), and find one gem every year... using the same ratio and Nebby gets 80 walkons, they will prob find 3-4 players every year. That's significant.

 

[Nuts4Cy]

This isn't 1997 any more. Nebraska isn't coming off 40 years of major success and national championships. Players are no longer willing to turn down a scholarship to another school to walk-on the storied Nebraska program. And if they are - they already have CTE because that's stupid.

 

[jbhtexas]

What's our # of walkons vs how many turn into real contributors? I can only think of a few offhand but seems like there is 1 every year. Well, if we have say 20 walkons (and I have no idea), and find one gem every year... using the same ratio and Nebby gets 80 walkons, they will prob find 3-4 players every year. That's significant.

The 200-man roster was an interesting approach 10 or more years ago. Today, with the proliferation of video and social media, even the smaller schools have fairly sophisticated recruiting. It's hard to fathom that many "contributors" out there who aren't getting a scholarship offer from somebody. But, everybody has an ego and at times perhaps overvalues their abilites, so there may be some who would take a chance walking on at an FBS school over a scholarship at a smaller school.

To me, the big roster just seems like more administrative headache and more opportunity for rules violations.

 

[Big Clone Guy]

I don’t see how adding 35 walk-ons would be that much of an advantage.

 

[Cydkar]

I don’t see how adding 35 walk-ons would be that much of an advantage.

It won't be. They may find a late bloomer or diamond-in-the rough, or 2, but it wouldn't be significant.

This will drive Iowa fans nuts so I'm good with it.

 

[CapnCy]

It'd be interesting to me to see the economics of it all (ROI). Meaning, with new NCAA rules, walk ons do get many of the benefits (meals, academic support, etc) which is great for them.

I also think of the costs of that many more helmets and other gear required (and needing updating).

I didn't read the article...is this to try to find/develop potential future talent or to have a bunch of tackling dummies on the squad?

 

[lionnusmb]

Don’t knock it. It’s an edge. Any advantage you can get helps. Iron sharpens iron. It’s not just the walk-one it will have an impact upon. These guys have chips on their shoulders and are gunning every day for starting and reserve minutes. Think of the level of competition that is elevated. This is big. An unexploited opportunity found by Nebraska. I think it is bad for Title IX and will be shot down in short order, but until then, an advantage.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

The Omaha World Herald Cornhusker propaganda machine really is a tradition unlike any other... Just wait until they go 9-3 or 8-4 this year against their dog **** schedule.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

Don’t knock it. It’s an edge. Any advantage you can get helps. Iron sharpens iron. It’s not just the walk-one it will have an impact upon. These guys have chips on their shoulders and are gunning every day for starting and reserve minutes. Think of the level of competition that is elevated. This is big. An unexploited opportunity found by Nebraska. I think it is bad for Title IX and will be shot down in short order, but until then, an advantage.

Yeah Not so much. Most programs are going the other direction and reducing the number of full contact days... This isn't 1992 when Nebraska had kids turning schollys down to walk on. It's just another data point that shows that Nebraska is still stuck in the past...

 

[ScottyP]

That program is still living in the past. This proposal helps reaffirm their mentality.

 

[JM4CY]

Football is still 11 vs 11 correct?

 

[LarryISU]

The Omaha World Herald Cornhusker propaganda machine really is a tradition unlike any other... Just wait until they go 9-3 or 8-4 this year against their dog **** schedule.

Omaha talk radio is the same. Just 5 minutes ago they were discussing who has the best talent, team-wise, in the B1G. They agreed it was OSU, MI, PSU and then Nebraska. So they went 4-8 last year with God as their coach, but they have the 4th best overall talent already now. I'm sure Iowa fans have no argument there.

 

[ArgentCy]

I thought that the NCAA had limits on the number of players on the teams. You can only have so many walk-ons.

 

[HFCS]

An interesting 3-story series in the Omaha World Herald analyzes how Scott Frost is working towards the days of yesteryear when the Nebraska football squad numbered close to 200...back when he played. Title 9 makes this tough as obviously, any increase in football numbers requires equal increases to women's numbers. To do so, Nebraska is adding significant walk-on numbers to the Women's Cross Country and Swimming teams. For example, the cross country team is going from a normal 15-17 member squad to 30. The swimming team is going from a normal 25-30 member squad to 50. This allows for 35 additional football walk-ons.

Per the stories, the women walk-ons will likely never see varsity competition, but they do enjoy the normal perks of being a team member...equipment, coaching, training table for meals, etc. And, adding walk-ons is much cheaper than adding another sport with paid coaches, etc.

Interesting series...you wonder how other schools treat this.

I went to high school for a few years in Nebraska had several friends who had multiple FBS offers in high school who chose to walk on at Nebraska. One of them ISU.

For the players who want to live in Nebraska the rest of their lives and don't have NFL potential it may actually be the right move and worth giving up the scholarship money. Having played for the Huskers there makes you a higher level of human being and opens lots of doors.

 

[HFCS]

Omaha talk radio is the same. Just 5 minutes ago they were discussing who has the best talent, team-wise, in the B1G. They agreed it was OSU, MI, PSU and then Nebraska. So they went 4-8 last year with God as their coach, but they have the 4th best overall talent already now. I'm sure Iowa fans have no argument there.

When I lived there in the 90s for a few years I got a kick out of newspaper headlines in July or August that would just say things like "IT'S ALMOST HERE" in huge type. They really are laser focused on just one thing state wide.

They also called the Allen Parsons Project song that Michael Jordan was being introduced to "The Husker Song". This was during the height of Jordan Mania. Every radio station would get constant requests for "The Husker Song", the DJ would say "here's the Husker song" and it would be that Bulls intro music.

 

[heitclone]

I dont know of any other school that focuses on their walk on program like Nebraska. It's been mentioned when their last 3 coaches have been hired. I think its just really a political thing for in state donors that long for the Devany/Osborne days that has little to no impact on the program. The typical blue haired Husker fan will eat this idea up.