The walkon discussion was in regards to roster management and how many players we have at defensive back. Had nothing to do with how valuable they are or how talented they might be. It had to do with scholarship distribution at each position.
Second,
walk-ons usually play the role of the scout team during the season. This allows scholarship players to focus on the game plan each week which helps their development.
Your stance is wrong to. I don’t knock walkons and those who play or earn scholarships are a great story but depending on how many are playing and in what roles we’re probably not very good.
Walk-ons do help with
roster management. Scout team work is vital to the development of the weekly game plan. If you dismiss the importance of walk-ons, then you're dismissing their weekly contributions to scout teams. If teams had to use scholarship players for the scout team work, any player who is on scout team is not working in the team's system and not developing optimally.
And, our punter at the end of the season... a walk-on from California. He may not have been the best, but without him, who was going to handle the punting? Someone thought enough of him to make him part of the 20, and it paid off.
News flash!
We are not very good. But, although we may not be Alabama, even Alabama uses walk-ons on their scout teams.
This is all part of
roster management; which position do you need walk-ons at, how many do you need, how many do you have room for, who do you take etc...
Roy Wittke is our Director of Player Personnel. Roster management is a big part of what he does for the program. So much goes on behind the scenes that most people do not realize. Coordinating all of the scouting and vetting all of the videos that the team receives. Balancing the the needs of each position group; "I need more running backs", "I need more linebackers", "I need more corners", or "I need more receivers" and so on. In August we added a LB walk-on after camp started. Why? Most likely because someone thought we needed one to help with the scout teams duties. Why a LB and not a guard? Roster management.
Moving on...
I think the cornerback situation is a little dire to. Losing Cole was a nut shot.
I agree. Losing Cole is a big loss.
As part of your roster management calculus ask yourself where was Atkinson in 2021.
On a positive note, it looks like Dom Foster and Cornell Perry may be enrolling early. Both are solid recruits who will have a chance to see how they stack up in spring ball.
