NT Walk-On Program

[rcd12]

This issue may seem minor to most of you, but I do believe that it is a signicficant issue. North Texas currently has around 13 walk-ons on their roster (that are listed) and after hearing some comments from former players, they believe that this was due in large part to Coach Dickey's views towards them. He did not view them as an important part to the success of a college football team and completely disregarded even attempting to build some sort of walk-on program at North Texas. 1-A schools must have solid walk-on programs in my opinion because they add character and a good work ethic to your football team by pushing the scholarship players up a notch. You cannot tell me that at a school of 30K+ ugraduates that there is not at least 2 or 3 players that can help your team out in practice. Because there seems to be 10-15 that come from the likes of A&M and Texas every year out of the student body and some of those stick around for four or five years and make a significant contribution. Keep in mind that teams are allowed an unlimited # of walk-ons during the spring for evaluation and new legislation adopted in the fall of 2005 allows an unlimited #of walk-ons when classes start with a cut being made just before game 1. I hope that the new coach at North Texas will see the importance of having a walk-on program and maybe even hold an open tryout date for eligible undergraduates just as A&M does every semester. I know that we have many problems to deal with and I'm not saying that this priority #1, but it is an issue that needs seeing to that Dickey obviously disregarded.

[FirefightnRick]

Chris Hurd LB, (1st team all SBC defensive player of the year in '04) Walk On.

Jason Ball, Field Goal kicker. Walk On.

Hopovic. Field Goal kicker. Walk On.

I know there are others but these are a few the past 6 years or so. I was under the impression that we had a decent walk on program? I could be wrong.

Rick

[rcd12]

I view your statement as actually adding to my argument. These players were walk-ons that made a significant contribution to the North Texas football team. But I was making the point more from a numbers stand. If these players developed into key pieces of the North Texas football team, don't you think that more walk-on players could be brought in to increase the likelihood of producing more players such as the ones you described. If there is a surplus of roster spots as there currently is and the capacity in the facilities to hold more players, then why not bring more of them in for evaluation. And for a school the size of North Texas, I do not believe that we have a good walk-on program. I also don't think that having an open tryout day is sucha bad idea just to evaluate the skills of students who were overlooked for whatever reason. Especially in the DFW, you know there is some talent out there, why not take a day out of the year to find some of it. Were a major university, so lets start acting like one.

[NT80]

I heard there is a limit to how many preferred walk-ons or general walk-on players a team can have at different times during fall camp and the season and we had that. No?

[FirefightnRick]

I see your point. So how many usually did our coaches look at each spring? I have no idea just as I have never understood why DD did half the things he did do. Considering that's about to change I can only hope everything improves, walk on's included.

Rick

[Baby Arm!]

Dickey couldn't fill all of his scholarship slots. No surprise here at the lack of walk ons.

[rcd12]

To answer your question NT80, your allowed 105 players for fall camp (that's 85 scholarship, 20 walk-ons). The new rule that came out in the fall of 2005 allows a team to have an unlimited number of players from the time that classes start until just prior to the first game when they must cut down to 120 players. During the spring semester, a team can have an unlimited # of players for spring practice and training which is when most walk-ons get their opportunity.

Edited November 21, 2006 by rcd12

[VideoEagle]

Dickey couldn't  fill all of his scholarship slots.  No surprise here at the lack of walk ons.

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Didn’t Tune just get awarded one of those scholarships that were held back for potential walk ons?

[SilverEagle]

Personally, I see a "walk-on" camp as an opportunity to make connections with the student body....in a positive way.

Advertise that there will be a walk-on camp, get a sponsor to buy t-shirts for the event. And then even if they are not invited to participate in spring/fall camp, you have a group of guys walking around campus wearing their t-shirts, and (hopefully) having a good feeling about the program.

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Dickey couldn't  fill all of his scholarship slots.  No surprise here at the lack of walk ons.

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Why not? Not enough athletes in the state of Texas that want to play D1 football?

[rcd12]

Well said SilverEagle, A&M does it once a semester for both fall and spring. They are probably the best reference we can use if this is ever brought to a decision.

[Cowtown]

I posted this as one of the things NT has going for it if they take advantage of it in the survey.

When the Mens soccer program was really rolling, there was a huge try out day.

This was the place that many overlooked DFW players enrolled because of the location and cost.

The result was a perennial playoff team.

I really think we should make the walk on program a big deal and perhaps even keep a scholarship available every year for a walk on. If you tell the overlooked kids in the metroplex that they have a shot at a ship and playing D1 college ball, I really think they will line up for the chance. And the best part is you dont have to pony up 20K to try, we should own the metroplex walkons.

You can never have enough overachievers that believe in the system (see Aledo and SLC to some extent).

[NT80]

To answer your question NT80, your allowed 105 players for fall camp (that's 85 scholarship, 20 walk-ons). The new rule that came out in the fall of 2005 allows a team to have an unlimited number of players from the time that classes start until just prior to the first game when they must cut down to 120 players. During the spring semester, a team can have an unlimited # of players for spring practice and training which is when most walk-ons get their opportunity.

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That's it, thanks. I knew the walk-on rules had changed but I wasn't sure to what. It can only be a benefit to the program to look at all kids that want to be a part of it, never know what you might find walking on.

[rcd12]

Cowtown, you read my mind exactly. Not wanting to pony up 20k+ is precisely the reason that I left TCU out of fall camp as a walk-on quarterback and attended North Texas. Tried to walk-on at North Texas more than once but always got a different excuse why I could not.

[PHSCoach]

My Webpage

This is the info for walkons

[Baby Arm!]

Why not?  Not enough athletes in the state of Texas that want to play D1 football?

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That's how far we've fallen in recruiting. The past two years not only did DD fail to sign ANY of the state top 100 recruits, he and his staff weren't able sign enough athletes to fill the scholarships we had to offer.

Im glad there was a scholarship to give Tune, but in how many D1 programs do they have couple of scholies laying around because they couldnt find enough takers in February??

[GoMeanGreen1999]

That's how far we've fallen in recruiting.  The past two years not only did DD fail to sign ANY of the state top 100 recruits,  he and his staff weren't able sign enough athletes to fill the scholarships we had to offer.

Im glad there was a scholarship to give Tune,  but in how many D1 programs do they have couple of scholies laying around because they couldnt find enough takers in February??

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That is pretty pathetic that less than two years removed from 4 conf titles in a row, that we can't fill all of our scholarships.

The more I think of this Walk-On program, or lack there of, we really should get it going. We have 30,000+ students....imagine how many kids there are walking the campus that could be a part of this. Heck I might bet that there is at least one that could compete and possibly beat out Meager or Phillips for QB.