Time to revisit the "Recruited walk-on" question?

Your thoughts seem to be right on the money. At private schools, where tuition runs $30,000 to $40,000 and on up, walk-ons are going to need either great grades and test scores or very wealthy parents.

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Originally posted by Infield08:
At private schools, where tuition runs $30,000 to $40,000 and on up, walk-ons are going to need either great grades and test scores or very wealthy parents.

Our son will be playing at a DIII school (no athletic scholarships) next year where the tuition is right in line with those you stated. We are FAR from wealthy. We're just very determined "working stiffs". Our son sacrificed an awful lot to be his best in the classroom, and on the field so it's time for we, as his parents to step up. I know this really has nothing to do with the original post, just wanted to point out that you don't necessarily have to be "wealthy" to make things work.

I still think coaches will be after the best players possible.

I really think the new rules do not affect recruited walk-on players, they still will be recruited walk-ons in the new system.

I think the impact will be felt by the "books only" (or minimal amount) scholarship players. In the old days, they may have been willing to sit at a more prestigious university as a "scholarship player", develop their skills and hope to produce somewhere down the road. That same type of player may not be willing to go to those same institutions as a pure walk-on. Hence, they may be looking at a lesser program for 33% or more.

What is the impact? I think you may be seeing better players migrating downwards. The end result may be to push marginal players out of the system at the lower ends of the sport.

Are there opportunities? I think so. For a player willing to swallow his pride, there may be more recruited walk-on opportunities available at programs that may not have been open to them in the past because players who perceive themselves as scholarship players have migrated somewhere else.

This is all pure specualtion on my part but these are my intuitions.

I think there is a good chance that the migration you predict will take place. Guess we will find out if the pride of being on a 'ship outweighs the pride of being on the Enormous State U. roster.

Well, I think that there are two sets of people that the scholarship is important to, for some of the same reason and for different ones. Obviously, the player and the parent both love to be able to say that the kid had an athletic scholarship to Enormous State U. The parent also has a stake in the scholarship because, well, that's less money for college.

However, there are a lot of private schools that are at or near the top of the baseball rankings. Paying full tuition at a school like Vandy or Rice or Tulane or Stanford or Notre Dame is a bit more of a stretch for most people. Having said that, I think that there are going to be a lot of kids who might rather take a 75% academic scholarship and a spot on the team at Vandy over a 33% athletic scholarship at Enormous State U.

It's all going to be very interesting.

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Having said that, I think that there are going to be a lot of kids who might rather take a 75% academic scholarship and a spot on the team at Vandy over a 33% athletic scholarship at Enormous State U.

John - I see where you are going but we may be mixing apples and oranges here. The only way the kid gets a spot on the Vandy baseball team is if he has the "baseball" ability. The academics could exclude someone from going to Vandy but they are not going to get a kid any additonal looks for the team. I don't see how the new rules would help a private school. I think the scenario you have just outlined was just as valid under the old system as it is under the new. Bottom line, it seems like it would be hard to turn down a 75% academic scholarship to Vandy under almost all conditions imho - old rules or new rules.

I'm still trying to figure out if the new transfer rules apply to the walk-ons. Are they still required to sit a year if they decide to move?

sp, the answer appears to be yes. "Transfer Year in Residence. Student-athletes transferring to any Division I institution in the sport of baseball shall be required to serve one academic year in residence before being eligible to compete in the sport of baseball."

BASEBALL ACADEMIC ENHANCEMENT WORKING GROUP FINAL REPORT

Thanks for the link.
I didn't see any protection for players in program now facing possible scholarship reductions in '08 as coaches are forced to adjust to the 33% rule for incoming players. There may be an unusual amount of player movement right before Aug 1, 2008.
Also, It would appear that after the new rules take effect, the decision whether or not to redshirt will become much more difficult.