Nick Saban expresses concern for college football walk-ons amid House settlement

News broke in July that the NCAA is expected to approve increased scholarships across multiple sports. Which includes a new 105-player roster limit for football compared to the 85-man NCAA scholarship limit that currently exists.

On paper, an increase in scholarship limits and roster sizes may seem like a positive for college athletics, particularly for sports that were predominantly reliant on partial scholarships. But for walk-on student-athletes, the new rule effectively does not leave a spot for them to join programs, contribute, and potentially earn a scholarship.

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Walk-ons have played a crucial role in college athletics for many years, like former West Virginia fullback Owen Schmitt who started off his career as a walk-on student-athlete. Also joining The Pat McAfee Show live on Friday in Morgantown as a guest where he asked former Alabama head coach Nick Saban if there’s room for walk-on players in college football.

“It really is a concern to me,” Saban admitted. “Because some of the things moving forward that have been presented is that all players would be on scholarship and there’d be no opportunities for walk-ons. I think that’s not good and it’s all a participation number thing that people are trying to control.”

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Specifically in college football, walk-ons serve a crucial role as scout team players who mimic opponents at practice and prepare the team’s scholarship contributors for Saturdays. An often thankless role that does not go overlooked within football programs.

But year after year walk-ons also earn scholarships and see the field, with players like Schmitt even going on to play at the NFL level.

“But there have been so many guys that have been walk-ons who’ve got scholarships. I mean Rashad Johnson played, I don’t know, 10 years in the league was a walk-on in Alabama for us,” Saban added. “And to not be able to offer those opportunities to guys, I think it’s just very unfortunate and I hate it.”

“Because those are the kind of guys you want on your team man. They’re motivated the right way, they’re working hard every day, they’re trying to prove something, and not to be able to give them the opportunity to do that, I don’t think is something that’s good for college sports.”

The exact implications for walk-ons given the ensuing scholarship and roster limit changes is still unknown. But there’s no question that several college football coaches will continue to advocate for the existence of walk-ons and could be tasked with adapting in yet another area in a new era of college athletics.