Question on Walk-Ons

[EE_Gopher]

I see that Cameron Botticelli received a scholarship. My question, is it true that walk-ons can transfer without sitting out for a year? If so, I assume there is pressure on a coach to award scholarships to walk-ons who are performing for fear that they will leave for a better offer?

 

[FreakyDeke]

I see that Cameron Botticelli received a scholarship. My question, is it true that walk-ons can transfer without sitting out for a year? If so, I assume there is pressure on a coach to award scholarships to walk-ons who are performing for fear that they will leave for a better offer?

I think you're right, that was the case with Chris Hawthorne coming here from NC State.

 

[gophmeister]

If they weren't a recruited walk on as in they just showed up, tried out and made the team. If they signed that agreement to enroll like our PWOs do then they can't transfer without sitting out.

 

[highwayman]

I see that Cameron Botticelli received a scholarship. My question, is it true that walk-ons can transfer without sitting out for a year? If so, I assume there is pressure on a coach to award scholarships to walk-ons who are performing for fear that they will leave for a better offer?

I think you're right, that was the case with Chris Hawthorne coming here from NC State.

I believe a walk-on can not have been recruited and cannot accept aid of any kind at the first school. Even though Hawthorne played three games for NCSt., he could transfer immediately because he wasn't recruited and accepted no aid while he was there.

 

[corcoran1]

I think that is right if they are transferring to a BCS school. If they were transferring to FBS schools, I am not sure what the rule would be. If they transfer to lower levels, which may not have scholarships but have a LOT of financial aid, I don't think they have to sit out at all.

 

[FreakyDeke]

I think that is right if they are transferring to a BCS school. If they were transferring to FBS schools, I am not sure what the rule would be. If they transfer to lower levels, which may not have scholarships but have a LOT of financial aid, I don't think they have to sit out at all.

That's true whether you are a walk-on or scholarship player.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

I'm pretty certain that if you're a walk-on, you can always transfer to another school willing to give a scholarship without sitting out a year.

I don't think it matters if you were recruited and there isn't any other financial help besides football scholarship that has an impact. If a kid goes to the U and gets financial aid or an academic scholarship, that doesn't have any impact on this general rule.

As to the second part of the question, I don't think it puts too much pressure on a guy like Kill, we don't have a lot of guys who walked on that have done enough for another school to come around. Most of the walk ons really wanted to come to the U (or they would have gone elsewhere). It makes it real unlikely that it's a threat for another school to offer.

Keep in mind also that more walk ons get help than you might think. A guy like Botticelli and a guy like Rallis are just normal scholarship players now. However, every year we end up with a couple loose scholarships once the season starts (people not qualifying and not having time to fill their scholarship). So a lot of guys end up with a scholarship who aren't really considered scholarship players. I believe that was the case for Botticelli last season.