Ball State' Brandon Crawford

[Green Dozer]

Tid bit from ESPN The Magazine, Ball St. has a junior ALL-MAC defensive end named Brandon Crawford. He is 32 years old, graduated from high school in 1996, worked three years in an automotive factory, and then spent four years in the Marines. Of course, Ball St. is the 16th ranked D in the nation, allowing only 15.4 ppg. Unfortunately, that is all details the story gives, no background as how he ended up at Ball St. I just thought it as a good example of how smaller programs have to sometimes do things out of the box to get a leg up. Would do good for our coaches to call up these programs and just ask some questions. I know we play them next year I think, but I bet we could still get some good ideas. Bet Crawford is not the only interesting story on their team.

[ADLER]

Tid bit from ESPN The Magazine, Ball St. has a junior ALL-MAC defensive end named Brandon Crawford. He is 32 years old, graduated from high school in 1996, worked three years in an automotive factory, and then spent four years in the Marines. Of course, Ball St. is the 16th ranked D in the nation, allowing only 15.4 ppg. Unfortunately, that is all details the story gives, no background as how he ended up at Ball St. I just thought it as a good example of how smaller programs have to sometimes do things out of the box to get a leg up. Would do good for our coaches to call up these programs and just ask some questions. I know we play them next year I think, but I bet we could still get some good ideas. Bet Crawford is not the only interesting story on their team.

While I do believe that it is certainly worthwhile to give a scholarship to any non-traditional student who earns one, I also believe that it's nearly impossible to actually recruit towards that.

What we'd need is a really accessible walk-on program for football and basketball.Something that shows how we receive not only recent high school and juco graduates, but also older students that have delayed the college possibly because of a military career. We may have that, but I certainly haven't see it being promoted.

[NT03]

http://the.ricethresher.org/sports/2007/11...s_casey_profile

Read this and it will make you a bit sick. He will play at the next level and we didn't even respond to his interest here.

[FirefightnRick]

http://the.ricethresher.org/sports/2007/11...s_casey_profile

Read this and it will make you a bit sick. He will play at the next level and we didn't even respond to his interest here.

Shhhheesh!, this guy ain't nobody. He's only ranked towards the top in every offensive statistical category for WR's with 1007 yards on 85 catches with 14 TD's.

Rick

[Green Dozer]

Shhhheesh!, this guy ain't nobody. He's only ranked towards the top in every offensive statistical category for WR's with 1007 yards on 85 catches with 14 TD's.

Rick

And a brain at that......got into Rice. Nay, we could not have used him as it would not have helped our play on the field, and he probably could not keep up with the academic rigors of North Texas.

[GreenMachine]

http://the.ricethresher.org/sports/2007/11...s_casey_profile

Read this and it will make you a bit sick. He will play at the next level and we didn't even respond to his interest here.

I have a feeling we are going to be feeling the same way in a few years about OL Stephen Huber.

[oldguystudent]

I'm 36 and still have all of my eligibility left. Does the team need a fat beer swilling dude with bad knees? I'm available!

[ADLER]

I'm 36 and still have all of my eligibility left. Does the team need a fat beer swilling dude with bad knees? I'm available!

Actually, you probably don't. You have 5 calendar years to complete 4 years of eligibility after the first day that you have attended college. You can possibly get a sixth year to play if you had missed one of your four playing years due to injury.

[NT03]

Actually, you probably don't. You have 5 calendar years to complete 4 years of eligibility after the first day that you have attended college. You can possibly get a sixth year to play if you had missed one of your four playing years due to injury.

Way to KILL his dreams ADLER , but I think your mistaken about the possible 6th year ... Ramon got 11 years while @ SMU

Edited November 17, 2008 by NT03

[oldguystudent]

Way to KILL his dreams ALDER

No worries. If the NCAA doesn't want me, I know the NFL or MLB could still theoretically come knocking.

[flyonthewall]

Shouldn't you be studying accounting?

No worries. If the NCAA doesn't want me, I know the NFL or MLB could still theoretically come knocking.

[oldguystudent]

Shouldn't you be studying accounting?

Test on Wednesday. Knocked out operations and marketing today. I've got 6 hours blocked out for accounting review tomorrow.

[e-bone ver2.awesome]

Another terrible Todd Dodge failing: not recruiting 30 somethings.

[oldguystudent]

Another terrible Todd Dodge failing: not recruiting 30 somethings.

I know, huh? And my drug tests would even come out clean!

[Stan R]

I'm 36 and still have all of my eligibility left. Does the team need a fat beer swilling dude with bad knees? I'm available!

WOW!!!! YOU'RE 36!?!?!? YOU'RE ALMOST A MAN!!! ONLY 4 MORE YEARS TO GO!!!

[Green Dozer]

Another terrible Todd Dodge failing: not recruiting 30 somethings.

Hey Bone,

Did not mean for this post turn into saying Dodge is failing at something else. Just pointing out how another program w/ similar resources is doing something out of a norm. I have never understood, with some top high school programs within 50 miles of our campus, why we do not have a huge walk-on program. Our admission standards are less stringent that TCU or SMU, so we have advantage there. Plus, a good player could walk on here and perhaps get some playing time as a freshman or sophomore. All of our coaches both past and present could improve in this area. Nebraska did good with walk ons for a number of years before Callahan all but shut it down. It has just never caught on here for one reason or another.

Edited November 17, 2008 by Green Dozer