Thoughts on the preferred walk-on program...

[Buster68_rivals]

It seems like NB and staff are adding some needed depth and special teams talent with this program. The overall quality and talent of this group would seem to indicate that we might get a few gems from it. I like what the coaches are doing here. Any thoughts in general or comments on specific players?

 

[TownesVanZandt_rivals]

If you read what Neal Brown says about it you will see he values PWOs

This was from Day One. If you look at what he did at Troy you will see the same thing.

 

[Buster68_rivals]

Just added Mark Rucker. A 6 ft, 200 lb, rb/utility player from Charleston who was a 3 time Class A first team selection. Nice pwo addition to add depth and special teams candidate. He had several division 2 offers but wanted to follow his dream. Gotta love these guys for passing up scholarships to do this with just the opportunity of a scholarship in the future. Talk about desire and passion. These are the unmeasurables that often lead to success.

 

[Buster68_rivals]

Number 8 PWO is Derek Ambrosino. A 6'3", 215 lb first team PA 3A defensive end from Exeter, PA. There definitely could be a diamond or two in the rough in this group.

 

[JWG66]

Anyone have an update on Broc Grosser from last year. He had some good credentials at S. Which last I looked was still thin for depth.

 

[Darth_VadEER]

Didnt Nebraska do something similar for in-state recruits and had good results?

 

[Buster68_rivals]

Not sure exactly how Nebraska used the program but I like the way WVU is using it. It gives some of the best HS players in the state and others an opportunity to win a scholarship and play on a P5 team even though they might not meet the measurables that match with successful P5 requisites. It gives the coaches an opportunity to evaluate this talent pool in real time practice and game situations before awarding and tying up a scholarship. It's a real win-win scenario.

 

[TownesVanZandt_rivals]

Didnt Nebraska do something similar for in-state recruits and had good results?

Most schools put an effort into their PWO program.

What Nebraska did was award county scholarships. Each county in Nebraska sent someone to the university and usually this person was an athlete and a lot of times a football player.

But football was played in a box at this time.

Football is now wide open. You can still find players who can cover space with walk ons but much harder than in the 1980's when football was more downhill.

 

[TownesVanZandt_rivals]

Not sure exactly how Nebraska used the program but I like the way WVU is using it. It gives some of the best HS players in the state and others an opportunity to win a scholarship and play on a P5 team even though they might not meet the measurables that match with successful P5 requisites. It gives the coaches an opportunity to evaluate this talent pool in real time practice and game situations before awarding and tying up a scholarship. It's a real win-win scenario.

Especially on special teams.

 

[muthed]

Just added Mark Rucker. A 6 ft, 200 lb, rb/utility player from Charleston who was a 3 time Class A first team selection. Nice pwo addition to add depth and special teams candidate. He had several division 2 offers but wanted to follow his dream. Gotta love these guys for passing up scholarships to do this with just the opportunity of a scholarship in the future. Talk about desire and passion. These are the unmeasurables that often lead to success.

Rucker is from Tyler Consolidated (Sistersville).

 

[Buster68_rivals]

Rucker is from Tyler Consolidated (Sistersville).

Oops! My bad. You're right.

 

[AZeer]

Didnt Nebraska do something similar for in-state recruits and had good results?

Tom Osborne ramped up the walk on program at NE and it became famous across the country as he and NE won 3 NCs. Don did the same at WVU as have every coach since then. WVU has had several gems come out of it, to name just three: Rich Braham( 13+ years as a Pro mostly with Cinn.), Najee Goode(still in the Pros) and Owen Schmitt(Therunawaybeertruck).

 

[TownesVanZandt_rivals]

Tom Osborne ramped up the walk on program at NE and it became famous across the country as he and NE won 3 NCs. Don did the same at WVU as have every coach since then. WVU has had several gems come out of it, to name just three: Rich Braham( 13+ years as a Pro mostly with Cinn.), Najee Goode(still in the Pros) and Owen Schmitt(Therunawaybeertruck).

Barry Alvarez who is a former Nebraska player did the same at Wisconsin.
Today they are the ones to emulate.

Regarding Nebraska and their success.
Prop 48 or partial qualifiers played a role.
The NCAA cracked down and set standards for student athletes in football in the 1980's because of the Dexter Manley story.
Certain programs allowed what they called partial qualifiers.
Their last players for this were on their 97 NC team.
The Big 12 didn't allow them

If not a full qualifier they had to attend a JUCO program until they were a full qualifier

This helped Nebraska recruit players who other schools turned away.

This was written right around their NC game with Florida after the 1995 season

https://www.si.com/vault/1996/01/15...-when-such-a-colossus-ruled-the-game-are-over

 

[AZeer]

Barry Alvarez who is a former Nebraska player did the same at Wisconsin.
Today they are the ones to emulate.

Regarding Nebraska and their success.
Prop 48 or partial qualifiers played a role.
The NCAA cracked down and set standards for student athletes in football in the 1980's because of the Dexter Manley story.
Certain programs allowed what they called partial qualifiers.
Their last players for this were on their 97 NC team.
The Big 12 didn't allow them

If not a full qualifier they had to attend a JUCO program until they were a full qualifier

This helped Nebraska recruit players who other schools turned away.

This was written right around their NC game with Florida after the 1995 season

https://www.si.com/vault/1996/01/15...-when-such-a-colossus-ruled-the-game-are-over

Good stuff, thanks. I had forgotten about "Prop 48 or partial qualifiers played a role."

 

[TownesVanZandt_rivals]

Good stuff, thanks. I had forgotten about "Prop 48 or partial qualifiers played a role."

It is amazing all they accomplished for the position they were in but they cut corners.
Most of the time Osborne helped these players that had issues.

 

[VaultHunter]

If at the very least it brings in kids who have a play for West Virginia and WVU mentality. That can only help in my opinion.