The unofficial online home for fans of the Old Dominion University Monarchs. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

We will likely go into summer camp with less than 85 scholarship players. The top PWO's can earn scholarships in camp or during the season.
It's often wise to leave some room for late decisions. So many different things can happen between now and August.

Some of the Monarchs' preferred walk ons:

T J Ricks
Anthony Wilson
Sean Carter
Brandon Addison
Bunmi Rotimi
Chad Hendricks
Tyler Compton
Travis Fulgham

Somehow, I think the coaches know what they are doing.

The fact walk ons are playing may just as easily speak to the coaches inability to recruit better talent.

I don't have any issue with walk ons per se, but I would be interested in knowing how many other CUSA schools seem to rely so heavily on them?

If we are trying to improve the quality of the team, just how much more competitive can you become relying on walk ons?

(02-01-2018 01:58 PM)Old Dominion Wrote:  The fact walk ons are playing may just as easily speak to the coaches inability to recruit better talent.

I don't have any issue with walk ons per se, but I would be interested in knowing how many other CUSA schools seem to rely so heavily on them?

If we are trying to improve the quality of the team, just how much more competitive can you become relying on walk ons?

Almost every school has walk ons contributing. We have probably been a little more successful at it.

(02-01-2018 01:58 PM)Old Dominion Wrote:  The fact walk ons are playing may just as easily speak to the coaches inability to recruit better talent.

I don't have any issue with walk ons per se, but I would be interested in knowing how many other CUSA schools seem to rely so heavily on them?

If we are trying to improve the quality of the team, just how much more competitive can you become relying on walk ons?

Baker Mayfield was a walk-on.

(02-01-2018 03:49 PM)ODUDrunkard13 Wrote:  

(02-01-2018 01:58 PM)Old Dominion Wrote:  The fact walk ons are playing may just as easily speak to the coaches inability to recruit better talent.

I don't have any issue with walk ons per se, but I would be interested in knowing how many other CUSA schools seem to rely so heavily on them?

If we are trying to improve the quality of the team, just how much more competitive can you become relying on walk ons?

Baker Mayfield was a walk-on.

Thats misleading though. Out of highschool he had a scholarship to Texas tech and then left after a year. He then walked on at Oklahoma. Not the same thing as walking on straight from Highschool.

Yeah, the Mayfield walkon stuff was just to sell stories.

(02-01-2018 03:54 PM)benny_t Wrote:  

(02-01-2018 03:49 PM)ODUDrunkard13 Wrote:  

(02-01-2018 01:58 PM)Old Dominion Wrote:  The fact walk ons are playing may just as easily speak to the coaches inability to recruit better talent.

I don't have any issue with walk ons per se, but I would be interested in knowing how many other CUSA schools seem to rely so heavily on them?

If we are trying to improve the quality of the team, just how much more competitive can you become relying on walk ons?

Baker Mayfield was a walk-on.

Thats misleading though. Out of highschool he had a scholarship to Texas tech and then left after a year. He then walked on at Oklahoma. Not the same thing as walking on straight from Highschool.

Quote:Instead of taking a scholarship in a non-power league, Mayfield decided to take his chances as a walk-on for Kliff Kingsbury at Texas Tech.

https://www.sbnation.com/college-footbal...on-heisman

(02-01-2018 01:58 PM)Old Dominion Wrote:  The fact walk ons are playing may just as easily speak to the coaches inability to recruit better talent.

I don't have any issue with walk ons per se, but I would be interested in knowing how many other CUSA schools seem to rely so heavily on them?

If we are trying to improve the quality of the team, just how much more competitive can you become relying on walk ons?

Oh my sweet Lord in Heaven. Do you even football? Have you not seen 430,000 videos of "Coach surprises walk-on with a scholarship while they (activity)"?

And not to beat the Carolina drum, but former walk-on Mack Hollins, who earned a scholarship, All American status (I think) and was drafted, will play in the daggummed Super Bowl this weekend with Rick Lovato!

(The Super Bowl is pretty daggummed competitive.)

So, I'd argue that the opposite of what you've posited is true.

(02-01-2018 04:32 PM)Grommet Wrote:  

(02-01-2018 01:58 PM)Old Dominion Wrote:  The fact walk ons are playing may just as easily speak to the coaches inability to recruit better talent.

I don't have any issue with walk ons per se, but I would be interested in knowing how many other CUSA schools seem to rely so heavily on them?

If we are trying to improve the quality of the team, just how much more competitive can you become relying on walk ons?

Oh my sweet Lord in Heaven. Do you even football? Have you not seen 430,000 videos of "Coach surprises walk-on with a scholarship while they (activity)"?

And not to beat the Carolina drum, but former walk-on Mack Hollins, who earned a scholarship, All American status (I think) and was drafted, will play in the daggummed Super Bowl this weekend with Rick Lovato!

(The Super Bowl is pretty daggummed competitive.)

So, I'd argue that the opposite of what you've posited is true.

Hunter Renfrow who caught the game championship winning touchdown for Clemson two years ago was a walk on.

(02-01-2018 04:46 PM)ODU804 Wrote:  

(02-01-2018 04:32 PM)Grommet Wrote:  

(02-01-2018 01:58 PM)Old Dominion Wrote:  The fact walk ons are playing may just as easily speak to the coaches inability to recruit better talent.

I don't have any issue with walk ons per se, but I would be interested in knowing how many other CUSA schools seem to rely so heavily on them?

If we are trying to improve the quality of the team, just how much more competitive can you become relying on walk ons?

Oh my sweet Lord in Heaven. Do you even football? Have you not seen 430,000 videos of "Coach surprises walk-on with a scholarship while they (activity)"?

And not to beat the Carolina drum, but former walk-on Mack Hollins, who earned a scholarship, All American status (I think) and was drafted, will play in the daggummed Super Bowl this weekend with Rick Lovato!

(The Super Bowl is pretty daggummed competitive.)

So, I'd argue that the opposite of what you've posited is true.

Hunter Renfrow who caught the game championship winning touchdown for Clemson two years ago was a walk on.

JJ Watt
Antonio Brown
Jordy Nelson
Clay Mathews

It's not that uncommon

It's part of the (realliy irritating) culture on this board w/some folks. If ODU did it, it's ****** up, no matter what. Ignorance and lack of perspective personified.

You guys can go on all day about walk ons who were the exception. It still doesn't change the basic fact that walk ons BY AND LARGE are walk ons because they are not good enough to garner offers. You simply can't deny that. Of course there are SOME great WALK ons, but I'm sure most labor on the scout team for 4 years then graduate.
IF a team is playing a lot of walk ons, it tells me they are not getting sufficient commits from higher rated players. Walk ons are back fill, by and large.

This is probably my favorite walk-on story;
https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/b...aaf,wp9443

(02-01-2018 04:54 PM)Old Dominion Wrote:  You guys can go on all day about walk ons who were the exception. It still doesn't change the basic fact that walk ons BY AND LARGE are walk ons because they are not good enough to garner offers. You simply can't deny that. Of course there are SOME great WALK ons, but I'm sure most labor on the scout team for 4 years then graduate.
IF a team is playing a lot of walk ons, it tells me they are not getting sufficient commits from higher rated players. Walk ons are back fill, by and large.

So let me get this straight...You don't want players that you don't have to commit a scholarship to? You legit get to try them out for years until you feel they earned a scholarship, or you cut bait. That's a wild thought man.

What's so wild about it? Why would I want to try out players? Even if for free? I'd much rather recruit kids I feel pretty certain are going to contribute, sooner rather than later.

Now if you are saying I've already given out all my schollies and a kid wants a shot, then fine go for it. But if I'm taking walk ons because my target recruits signed elsewhere, that's another story.

(02-02-2018 06:38 AM)Old Dominion Wrote:  What's so wild about it? Why would I want to try out players? Even if for free? I'd much rather recruit kids I feel pretty certain are going to contribute, sooner rather than later.

Now if you are saying I've already given out all my schollies and a kid wants a shot, then fine go for it. But if I'm taking walk ons because my target recruits signed elsewhere, that's another story.

You are showing a misunderstanding of the recruiting process. They arent choosingg to bring on walk ons over scholarship athletes

I believe you can have a total of 105 kids in camp which gives you a minimum of 20 walk-ons. BW actaully will tell some PWO's to my knowledge what they need to do to earn a scholarship.

OK then I guess I just don't understand exactly. I was thinking he had schollies and just couldn't fill them. If it's simply I've signed everyone I'm going to so lets take a look at some kids, that's fine.

This isn't even a mole hill. This is making mountains out of thin air.