Walk Ons - we may need some help this year - who is most likely to contribute...
Here's my sleeper...how about Chris Eddins? I haven't heard much about him yet I think with Cooper going to Iowa - there may be room for Eddins to step up and push for some spot play.
I brought out Gunderson and Mateus in Brian's front page discussion of the depth chart. These guys are big at least and could really contribute by saving RS years for Bryant and Posada if there are injuries at OT.
Heininger's rehab - how is that going? I have always liked his attitude.
Can Dylan Esterline, John Haarer or Nate Allspach play TE come the fall? This is the position with the most opportunity. Bills perhaps could have gotten a 5th year with this roster if not for his health. Barnett plays some at least and maybe a lot. If Miller doesn't bulk and switch one of these walk on TEs could see some time.
I would like to see Jeremy Ross push Wile, Gibbons and Broekhuizen. I would like to see Ross push anything /s. Just kidding Jeremy... I'm up for any kicker who steps up... walk ons especially.
The change in scheme and recruiting outcomes have left us short (OL, DL, TE) or deep (Slot, Special Teams) in many positions. This could be a couple years where an Eddins type player could make the most of the CC.
What do you think? Do any of you know about these guys or others who might walk on... note these guys contribute a ton to the team without ever seeing the field on Saturday...but Kovacs like stories happen.
February 3rd, 2011 at 11:53 AM ^
McGloin or whoever - we'll need someone to be in the middle if we run any I-Formation
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:07 PM ^
McGloin is the PSU walk-on QB who killed us. McColgan is our walk-on FB, I'm not certain he has eligibility left, though...
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:37 PM ^
McColgan was a RS JR. Regardless who comes back for 5th years has not been determined AFAIK.
February 3rd, 2011 at 2:51 PM ^
matters only in regard to scholarships, I believe.
February 3rd, 2011 at 11:54 AM ^
You may be the first to have an in-depth blog about walk-ons/intramurals.
February 3rd, 2011 at 11:58 AM ^
Maybe Van Slyke will get some minutes at S?
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:13 PM ^
He was listed behind Cam before he went down with injury, if I remember correctly. I don't remember him much from the spring game though, so not sure if he would have been an upgrade from Vinopal after Cam moved to spur.
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:53 PM ^
I assume Vinopal is already better than him, so he won't get that many snaps. But he's still probably the most likely.
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:04 PM ^
But I really hope we don't have to see a heavy dose of walk-on this year
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:13 PM ^
those 3 witches can stir up a mean portion of inopportune injury. At least we are 3 deep at center.
February 3rd, 2011 at 7:07 PM ^
"But I really hope we don't have to see a heavy dose of walk-on this year"
or next year and the year after that and the year after that and.....
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:07 PM ^
seriously.. if we see any walk-ons making a fair amount of contributions we are in serious shit.
Other than if some miracle kicker shows up
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:17 PM ^
Heininger has already seen considerable play. Van Slyke would have seen considerable time if not for his collar bone.
Eddins did not go around to all the recruiting circuits as much as other guys did. He values a degree. Can he play football? Yes he can.
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:34 PM ^
I thought Heininger was back for the Gator Bowl.
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:55 PM ^
He played against Wiscy
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:42 PM ^
Dont dought Jeremy Ross. The kid is a first team all state kicker and a dreamteam team kicker too. Naysayers will always be, but if your better than him, go out and beat him in a kicking contest. O yah, he's was 88% in high school (22/25, 8 from 40+)
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:57 PM ^
Oh trust me, I'm not doughting him at all.
I mean, the kid couldn't even beat out Broekhuizen. He must be a sure thing.
February 3rd, 2011 at 2:43 PM ^
you guys have me craving a doughtnut.
February 3rd, 2011 at 5:57 PM ^
We will never know what the deal was about why he never got a chance. I dont think its right to cut down a kid unless. I'm sure there a many secrets from the RR era that we will never know and I think this whole kicking game is one of them. Maybe you are right, spring ball will be the answer for us.
February 3rd, 2011 at 3:13 PM ^
Jeremy's Mom.
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:55 PM ^
If we need walkons to contribute when we have 20 returning starters its gonna be a long year.
February 3rd, 2011 at 2:55 PM ^
Kovacs
February 3rd, 2011 at 3:07 PM ^
I don't know his football skills (he was a grade under me at my high school and I never went to games) but Allspach's a big fella at TE. He seems like he would be an easy target at 6'6", 230lbs or whatever.
February 3rd, 2011 at 3:59 PM ^
From what I've heard (admittedly hearsay and I was probably fifth or sixth down the line), he's moving to OT. Agreed though, I go to GHS and have seen him play a lot, he's a big target but was underutilized and injured through most of his career. Big, good hands, could contribute.
February 3rd, 2011 at 5:43 PM ^
I heard people talking before and they said that Allspach barely played in High School now like you have statedis this due to injuries or underutilization by his coach. As far as his size he could be a hidden gem.
February 3rd, 2011 at 6:18 PM ^
Well, Grandville went from a powerhouse with too many kids to now barely getting 30 on the varsity squad. I don't know what happened. Coaching was always good up until Shaw, and even he had a couple good years with Sigler's kids. It's not like there is a lack of a "farm" system in Grandville, either. In fact, the high school has almost 2,000 students. It just seems like laziness, politics and poor coaching have ruined the program but I may be wrong as I don't follow it too closely these days.
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:00 PM ^
I played on his High School team for his Senior Year and he started both on offense (TE) and defense (DE) at the beginning of the year. Now later on in the year he got hurt and when he came back he only played on offense, but still to say he rarely played is simply not true. What this might have come from is that our offense often used formations that didn't require TE's so he wasn't in on some formation but he was in the majority of the time on offense. For his abilities as a football player I'm not sure. He was not really a great football player in a prototypical football player body. I'm sure though that once he got on to campus he received good coaching and is doing well now.