Wednesday, august 19, 1981
daily nebraskan
page 67
Walk-on program vital tradition
By Cindy Gardner
Like Pilgrims flocking to their Mecca they come to
Lincoln each fall. They are drawn by tradition, encour
aged by the likes of I.M. Hipp and the Williams brothers.
Without them, Coach Tom Osborne says Nebraska would
be in bad shape.
They are the walk-ons. Coming from across the nation
they arrive in Lincoln with hopes of playing Big Eight
football. With coaching cutbacks and recruiting restric
tions, the walk-ons are a vital part of the UNL football
program. Osborne does not hesitate to say, "I think the
walk on program has really saved our bacon."
The tradition of walk-on players becoming starters
continues to draw Husker hopefuls into the program.
Osborne estimates that in recent years, 40 percent of the
players seeing some varsity action orginally came as walk
ons. The superior walk-on program was what brought Travis
Turner, a quarterback hopeful with a goal of becoming an
academic all-American, to Nebraska.
Coming from Scottsbluff, Turner had not even con
sidered playing football at Nebraska until last summer. He
found himself looking at schools like Colorado State
where his brother had once played quarterback and
Chadron State College where he felt he could be a starter.
Turner admits the walk-on program at Nebraska was a
major factor in his decision as was his desire to know if he
could play major college ball.
"I was close to going to Chadron State. I would have
gone so I could be a starting quarterback," Turner said.
"I'm skeptical about my talent but if I would have gone
to Chadron I would have always thought, 'maybe I
could've made it.' "
Turner, a recruited walk-on, visited Nebraska last fall
and again in March. After his second visit, his mind was
pretty well made up. He would give it a go and come to
UNL.
"The coaching staff and facilities are just unreal.
Everything's so organized," Turner said.
Although Turner, a 6-3, 185-pounder, would like to
play quarterback, he said he'd be willing to try some other
positions. He would like to remain on offense adding that
it might be nice to have a chance to catch the ball instead
of throw it.
Osborne indicated that Turner might have an oppor
tunity to be tested in some different positions.
"I think I told Travis that we're not real sure that he
would be a quarterback. We'd like to look at him at quar
terback but he has enough athletic ability that he might
play somewhere else," Osborne said.
Turner realizes that as a walk-on he'U have to prove
himself to the coaching staff. He laughed as he recalled
the only chance he had to play in front of Osborne during
high school.
"I didn't play at Lincoln," Turner said. "I was so up
tight I wore my jersey backwards. After that game I
thought I'd never hear from the University of Nebraska
again but I kept getting plenty of phone calls."
Another western Nebraska walk-on, Pat Colerick of
Alliance, never did get a chance to play a high school
game in front of the Nebraska coaches but reports he
sent plenty of films after the season was over. Unlike
Turner, Colerick said he would have attended Nebraska
whether or not he had the chance to play football.
After looking at and receiving offers to play foot
ball at schools like Utah, New Mexico and Arizona,
Colerick decided he belonged at Nebraska, a larger school
with a pre-med program.
Putting on size and gaining speed are two things the
western Nebraska all-star feels he needs to work on. With
a goal of starting on the freshman team this year and
winning a varsity starting spot by his senior season, the
6-0, 165-pound back said, "I just hope 1 have enough
desire to stay and to work hard."
Colerick and Turner are just two of many walk-ons and
they and their counterparts have a tough road ahead.
"It's competitive," Osborne said. "We tell players when
they come down here as walk-ons that the percentages, if
you're a guy that we've encouraged, that has some talent,
your odds are still maybe about one in three of making it.
I mean making it to the point where you'll play a lot.
We have some guys that stick around and play a little
bit. Most everybody that stays will play to some degree."
Both Colerick and Turner said they are aware their
chances are slim. Just having the chance is a thrill in it
self, according to Turner.
Of the walk-ons who arrived in Lincoln last Tuesday,
many will never wear a varisty uniform. Yet, among the
Husker hopefuls may be a Heisman Trophy winner. The
Nebraska coaching staff recognizes the value of their
walk-on program. That is why they save from five to seven
scholarships each year for walk-ons who do make it.
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