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Walking On 9/26/2003
Walking On Think about it. How many TV or radio announcers preface walk-on with “just a”? Every decent play made by a walk-on harkens back to a water-walking exercise by the prophet of one’s choice. The term itself is lazy, as if that particular player strolled onto the practice field on his way to the grocery store. When will someone “run on” to a team? All perceptions aside, walk-ons are the Kevin Costners of college football, determined to build their own field of dreams no matter how many cornfields are in the way. Vanderbilt lists 16 walk-ons on its roster, 16 cogs in the practice field machine who aspire to be the next Clark Lea (a senior fullback who earned a scholarship before this season) or even Jason Bourque (still non-scholarship, but who had 18 carries for 65 yards in 2002). Division I football programs are limited to 85 scholarships but can field a roster of 105 players. The math is pretty clear — up to one-fifth of a team’s roster can consist of walk-ons. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Generally, walk-ons flock to the specialty positions — the kicking game, long snapping, etc. Their primary purpose, however, is to populate the scout teams in practice, posing as the “enemy” to the first- and second-team offenses and defenses. “Most of them do a great job on scout teams,” said Vanderbilt head coach Bobby Johnson. “Some of them make their way into the lineup, kickers and players. One walk-on we had at Furman [Ernest Gibson] ended up playing in the NFL for eight years.” The process by which an interested player becomes a Vandy walk-on is mind-numbingly simple. He asks Coach Johnson. That’s roughly it, and as long as you’re not a 175-pounder with defensive tackle dreams, you’ll have all the shot you want. The first conversation could be held at any freshman mixer: “We just talk about what position he plays, what kind of experiences he had, where he played high school football, what does he expect to contribute or get out of the program here,” said Johnson. Even though they’re not scholarship recipients, walk-ons aren’t graded on the curve. They’ll be told to hit the highway if they don’t hold up their end of the bargain. “We tell them even though you may not be on scholarship now, you’re expected to do everything all the other guys do,” said Johnson. “You have to come to all the workouts and you’re subject to all the standards that we put to everybody on the team. We treat them the same, whether they have a scholarship or not.” Marc Effren, a sophomore wide receiver, attests to Johnson open yet steadfast walk-on policy. Like most incoming freshmen, the Southbury, <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />Conn., native arrived in Nashville for his first semester unsure of his intentions. Finally, Effren worked up the nerve to ask Johnson to walk on last winter. Johnson said sure, come aboard. A strained groin prevented Effren from participating much last spring, but he’s scouting this fall. “He’s very inviting for anyone who wants to put in the time and dedication to be on this team,” said Effren. “It really doesn’t matter whether you’re a walk-on or scholarship, as long as you do the work and perform.” Scholarship or playing time? A blessed few, like Lea, will get both, but walk-ons value the latter a bit more. If they’re at Vanderbilt in the first place, financial concerns are not front and center in their minds. “I’m more interested in playing, not really interested in a scholarship,” Effren said. A full ride sure wouldn’t hurt, nevertheless. Bourque, a senior tailback on the gridiron who wrapped up his undergraduate degree last May and is attending grad school, earned precious playing time last fall and again against UT-Chattanooga this season. He busted tail over the off-season to burn up his final season of eligibility. “It would be nice to have a scholarship, don’t get me wrong,” Bourque said. “During the summer I had to work a lot to pay some of the bills during this semester. But my parents help me out, obviously. I wouldn’t be able to be here if they didn’t. “It’s kind of a tough situation when you have three, four really good tailbacks here already, so [a scholarship is] really not a possibility. I have one more year to finish out my career; I figured why quit in the middle of it. I just have through this fall and I’m done. I didn’t want to leave after one year when I have one more year to play. I wanted to carry it out.” If walk-ons carry it out, necessity and opportunity will often find them. Nathan True-Daniels transferred in from Colgate, where he was a soccer player. He walked on at Vandy because “I couldn’t really live without athletics.” The junior kicker booted all through camp last season without seeing action. Suddenly, with the transfer of Greg Johnson to Texas, True-Daniels has evolved into one of the team’s best options as kickoff specialist. In fact, two other walk-ons, Tolga Ertugrul as placekicker and Abtin Iranmanesh as punter, have also assumed starting positions in special teams. “Part of the thing I really like about Coach Johnson and the staff here is that they give everyone here an equal shot,” said True-Daniels. “The kicking job is wide open, and it ends up we have three walk-ons that are kicking.” Television broadcasters and fans everywhere, take heed: The next time you consider a player “just a walk-on,” you’re missing half the story. The game he decides may be your own. Vanderbilt walk-ons Name Class Pos. Hometown Adrian Reif Fr. FS Clarkstown, Ind. |
