Ebke Emblematic of Walk On Program
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January 3, 2008 by
When Tom Osborne became NU's Athletic Director and Bo Pelini the head coach, nearly every fan knew it would lead to a departure from the way things were done under the previous leadership. That includes recruiting and player development. Nebraska's walk-on program rests at the heart of the matter. Legends of walk-ons developing into great players under Osborne's tutelage and the much-maligned scaling back of the program under Pederson and Callahan have made it the fire-brand topic in recent years. As NU turns toward a new (or reprised) look at walk on players under Coach Pelini, we already see a candidate for its practical and symbolic importance - that player is Jim Ebke.
The Player
Jim Ebke has decided to leave his scholarship position at South Dakota State and walk on to the University of Nebraska. Let’s consider what kind of player Ebke is. This kid was an all-state selection playing in Class A in Nebraska during high school. He accounted for 2700 yards in his senior season at Lincoln East. At 6-1 and 210 pounds, he's physically comparable to Joe Ganz. I don't know if that put Ebke somewhere closer to Jerry Gdowski or Monte Cristo. But, he's not just some guy who is there to get a picture with the coach and say he's a Husker for a semester.
Also, he wants it. In his own words, NU is his "dream school" and where he wanted to be since he was a little kid. Last time I checked, college was downright expensive. So, to see a kid pass up a free ride somewhere else for a shot at NU is impressive. I'm not saying every prep player in the state of Nebraska has some loyalty obligation to NU. But, I've become tired of seeing other D-1 eligible prospects seeking other schools, especially those within NU's conference and division. If Ebke's desire to wear scarlet and cream is a symbol of a rekindled walk-on spirit, then great. I’m all for it.
Legends and Myths
Please don't think that what I'm about to write is me saying that walk on players are not important. They are. Practically, in the scholarship-limitation era they are an added source of valuable talent. Symbolically, they are a huge lifeline to Nebraskans' connection to their football program. Everybody grows up wanting to be Huskers. But...there are some pretty strong myths and legends about NU's walk-on program, under all three NU coaches following Devaney.
The first myth is that Osborne somehow made thriving teams from an assortment of walk-on players. That's revisionist history at its worst. But to hear some tell it, great Huskers all emerge from the corn fields of central Nebraska. Yes, there were more walk-on players on the roster when Osborne was coach. The roster was also considerably larger for many of those years. Yes, NU had players like Terry Connelly of Hyannis and Joel Wilks from Hastings as part of fantastic defensive and offensive lines in the 1990s. Of course, the rest of those lines were comprised of stone-cold scholarship studs. Want to hear more? Okay. Turner Gill was the most hotly-contested recruit of his generation. Ditto for Tommie Frazier. Mike Rozier was from Camden NJ...and was (gasp!) a Juco player. Terrell Farley was another JC assassin. Will Shields didn't walk on. Sure, Jared Tomich did, because he was a Prop 48 casualty. Don't even get me started on Lawrence Phillips.
NU's best teams were loaded with scholarship talent, with many of the best players from places other than NE. Yes, walk on players were emphasized more. And I agree with that. I think each unit of an NU team (D-line, WR, backfield, etc) should have a walk on player who is a major contributor. It is the right mix of talent and intangibles. The walk ons want it, and it positively affects the team's collective character.
The second myth is that Pederson and Callahan completely dismantled the walk-on program. Again, not true. If that were the case, Todd Peterson wouldn't be a wide receiver right now and Ben Eisenhardt wouldn't have played a down. They did, however, scale it back significantly. The operating notion being that the walk-on program had grown too large under Frank Solich, and that it was making the NU roster too difficult to manage. The claim is that it used up valuable time, equipment and energy on players who didn’t contribute much. So, it wasn't emphasized.
I'm not saying that it was the case or that I agree with that notion. But, I've heard too many fans say that Callahan all but destroyed the walk-on program. I don't think that is accurate. NU's roster has meaningful walk-on players at this moment. If nothing else, both he and Pederson knew a ripe source for quality and inexpensive (meaning scholarships as currency) source of talent.
Principle and Philosophy
Here's where I think the wheels came off. As with nearly everything Pederson did at NU, the scaling back of the walk on program became an enormous gaff from a public perception standpoint. In both word and deed, they sent the exact wrong message about who was welcome to try out and who wasn't. It is as much about perception as it is reality.
Philosophically, NU needs to be a place where walk-on players are absolutely welcome. Mentally, that shingle should always be hanging on the stadium door. Sure it requires management. Everything in sports does. But, by opening the door wide enough for people to come in, you are much more likely to discover, develop and maximize the walk-on talent needed to put your program over the top. And, keep your fans emotionally bought in.
Whether he wants it or not, Ebke is now the vessel for many Husker fans and young high school players to place their hopes and Husker dreams. Considering that, his development and his success or failure merits watching. The contribution he and others make can go a long way to mending rifts among the fan base and keeping talented players in the state. On some level, as they go, so goes the program.
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doombob Jan 03 08
Emblematic? Someone got a thesaurus for Christmas.
Tyler Jan 03 08
Bravo, well said. What's tricky about this INTANGIBLE is that you cannot measure it or put a dollar amount on it. What's great about it, is that you can market it, and it markets itself.
Solly Jan 03 08
One aspect of the walk-on program that many past scholarship players have mentioned is the influence the instate walk-on players had on the scholarship athletes was the passion specifically for Nebraska football. Many found it infectious, and found common ground for players from disparate backgrounds in that shared passion. I think it was Jason Peter who commented that seeing Nebraska walk-ons busting their humps on the same 100° turf as him for 2 hours provided a great deal of incentive for him, as he couldn't stomach doing anything less than these guys who were paying their own way for the privilege of wearing the uniform. He also saw it as a way to honor and respect their hard work. It's an interesting phenomenon, and one that I hope comes back to emphasis under Pelini. I also hope that we see the rebirth of the Unity Council in the very near future, as it's another bridge between players and between players and coaches that proved invaluable through the 90s.
Greg Morrow Jan 03 08
What the walkon program has provided over the years is depth. From Quarterback to Cornerback the last line of defense (or offense) has been a 5th year guy up for the challenge, for a game or, an entire season. Some positions still rely on walkons, like fullback and tight end. Many a walkon linebacker and safety have earned starts, even recently. Blake Tiedke and Adam Ickes come to mind. Phil Ellis and Brian Shaw were major contributors, back when. Pat Ricketts in '03.
What's made Nebraska unusual I think, is how many have earned all conference honors, even success in the NFL. Moreso in Osborne's era and pre Big XII, no question.
As for Ebke, there's several other positions he could possibly letter at, should the quarterback dream not materialize. Like "wingback"!
darren Jan 04 08
It looks like Ebke isn't the only former NE All-State player willing to give NU another shot.
Huskers Illustrated is reporting that Matt Donahue is transfering to NU from Ohio. Donahue is a 6'2'' WR, who runs a legit 10.7 100 meters. He considered walking on to NU a year ago before accepting a scholarship at Ohio.
It looks like the age of the best NE high school players feeling like they have to leave the state to get opportunity is over.
bigchief Jan 10 08
finally someone debunking the myth that the walkon program was destroyed. Coach Osborne was the first coach to "limit" the number of walkons so that roster size was mangeable. In essence Coach Osborne developed a "preferred walkon" program so the roster didn't get to 250 or bigger!!
bigchief Jan 10 08
finally someone debunking the myth that the walkon program was destroyed. Coach Osborne was the first coach to "limit" the number of walkons so that roster size was mangeable. In essence Coach Osborne developed a "preferred walkon" program so the roster didn't get to 250 or bigger!!