Fw: [Husker] Walk-Ons

[Monty Perry]

I agree, Dick, that walk-ons have contributed greatly to the program under 
Callahan. I also agree that changing the amount of walk-ons isn't a firing 
offense. What I would like to interject, was in reference to Dr. Toms 
statement in the press conference that Doug Coleman, who was a highly ranked 
recruit, stated that a funny thing happened while he was at NU. He was 
around all these guys that would pay such a high price, just to be on the 
scout team, maybe run down on a kick off, and that was the thing that 
permeated the program, the loyalty, the motivation level, the willingness to 
sacrifice.

So I am of the opinion, that while BC has done a great job with the walk-ons 
we have, it is the ones that didn't quite make the grade that we may be 
missing. The guy that would give his all on the practice field or scout team 
knowing he may never see real action during a game, but would put out an 
unbelievable amount of effort, just to be able to run through that tunnel on 
home games and hear the roar of the Husker Faithful. Maybe those are the 
ones that could have motivated this years team to play to a level that would 
make themselves, let alone all of us "Critics" very proud!

Again, this is only my opinion.

Monty


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Stone" <sstone at pvtnetworks.net>
To: "Husker List" <husker at tssi.com>
Sent: Monday, November 05, 2007 10:03 AM
Subject: Re: [Husker] Walk-Ons


> Dick wrote:
>
>>While I usually agree with Steve Stone's observations, and agree with most 
>>of what he listed as the problems with NU's football program, I must 
>>disagree on one point. I do so because no one should ever agree with 
>>everything Steve says (you know how he gets) and because I think the 
>>walk-on program is doing just fine.
>>I went through the roster and identified 51 players whom I believe to be 
>>present or former walk-ons (about 40% of the roster). Fourteen of those 
>>players are listed on the depth chart, and many of those have made 
>>important contributions to the team. To wit: Andy Poulosky, Sean Hill, TJ 
>>O'Leary, Tyler Wortman, Andy Sand, Ben Eisenhart, Jake Wesch, Thomas 
>>Lawson, Dan Erickson, Hunter Teafatiller, Alex Henery, Dan Titchener, and 
>>Todd Peterson.
>>Now, the correct number of walk-ons is obviously a matter of opinion, and 
>>some may feel that 50 or so isn't nearly enough. Nonetheless, there can be 
>>no disputing that walk-ons have made - and continue to make - solid 
>>contributions under Bill Callahan. There are ample reasons to fire the 
>>guy, but I don't think this is one of them.
>
> Good points, all.
>
> I was coming from a slightly different angle, one stolen directly from Dr. 
> Tom's "introductory" speech as interim AD, to wit, sooner or later his 
> larger walk-on program connected every small town in Nebraska directly to 
> the Husker squad. This led to an intense feeling of connect-ness between 
> the football program and those outlying and too-often-ignored little towns 
> like, say, Danbury, Stella, and Harvard.
>
> Callahan's smaller "invited walk-on" program is/was probably as efficient 
> from a football point of view, but it does/did not serve the Nebraska 
> community as well.
>
> Steve Stone
>
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