Ahh, I have problems (decisions, decisions)

[Crowned]

I guess I'll lay down my situation. I'm 18 and just completed my senior year of football. Earlier this year, I got a note asking me to release my grades. I was under the assumation that it was some local school(s) who I might have garnished some attention with, I live in Kansas. I paid no attention because I was suppose to move to Washington and possibly play ball up there. I got ****ed around and ending up not going to Washington. So now, I finished my season and my grades weren't released so I got no offers. It sucks seeing other players from my team who aren't as gifted as me getting full rides. Now, entering college I still want to play. I'd like to walk on somewhere such as KU or MU but after reading horror stories about how walk ons are treated. Eh, I just don't know. A player from my school is attending KU, a extremely promising MLB and a linemen from my class got invited there. I was always considered a shortier version of that linebacker who will be a sophmore or junior at KU next fall. Should I walk on or find a smaller school? Sport aren't the only factor, KU and MU are great schools for what I want to study. I keep hearing good things about the AFL's Desperados. I wouldnt mind trying out there. A little help guys?

My stats would help wouldn't they? Here they are.

Height: 6'0
Weight: Around 230, plan on getting up to 250 or so.
Maxes...
Bench: Right now, 340 but my personal goal is 420 before I graduate.
Squat: 490- 500. Again, this shall go up.
Clean: 300. Horrible, consider my bench I know. I just never spent much time with this lift but I will.
These maxs are based off of reps. I'm aware most colleges look at on bar lifts.


My best aspect is my speed. At 230 I run a 4.5 40 and 4.2 agility. I plan on attaining a speed coach to drop those numbers even more. I really want to run a 4.3 electric and be able to keep my weight by summer's end.

I also have a somewhat colorful wrestling career to my credit.

I know, stats or weight room numbers aren't everything but you can get a feel as to what I can do.


So, walk on at KU? MU? Smaller school? AFL?

[JJEB2]

well first let me say for your age and weight your speed is amazing. your quickness is also very good. just keep training for whatever comes your way.

its very odd that they didnt even ask about you if they came to see other players on your team or area ect ect. also i assume this was a very piss poor job by your coach on helping you with school.

personally i am a journeyman right now as well. i am a lot older than you at 22. i have played in college and if you would like to play at the next level college will play a major factor in that. i only played 2 seasons due to some circumstances. it is a huge factor. granted you can walk into an afl tryout and with those numbers do very very well. but no college experience may hinder you making the team. i know something like 1000 people who randomly go to tryout at these things. as far as i have seen one team offered only one guaranteed spot.

i would first try to get in contact with some coaches and maybe try to just walk on bc the national signing day has passed if i remember correctly. or you could take some classes at a local CC and just train and do what you do for a year only to tranfer into another school. or there is JUCO where they will get u many looks. colleges will go to JUCOs first and then to reg high school grads.

best of luck bro. i know how it all feels with things like this so i can relate. just keep working and working hard at that and hopefully things will fall into place.

[Crowned]

well first let me say for your age and weight your speed is amazing. your quickness is also very good. just keep training for whatever comes your way.

its very odd that they didnt even ask about you if they came to see other players on your team or area ect ect. also i assume this was a very piss poor job by your coach on helping you with school.

personally i am a journeyman right now as well. i am a lot older than you at 22. i have played in college and if you would like to play at the next level college will play a major factor in that. i only played 2 seasons due to some circumstances. it is a huge factor. granted you can walk into an afl tryout and with those numbers do very very well. but no college experience may hinder you making the team. i know something like 1000 people who randomly go to tryout at these things. as far as i have seen one team offered only one guaranteed spot.

i would first try to get in contact with some coaches and maybe try to just walk on bc the national signing day has passed if i remember correctly. or you could take some classes at a local CC and just train and do what you do for a year only to tranfer into another school. or there is JUCO where they will get u many looks. colleges will go to JUCOs first and then to reg high school grads.

best of luck bro. i know how it all feels with things like this so i can relate. just keep working and working hard at that and hopefully things will fall into place.

Partly the reason is because my school went 2-7. A few players on my team were good enough to play for a big school but had to settle or be 'preferred' walk ons. Well, ****, they got that. By few I mean like three others.

Oh and this past year I played fullback/ half back and defensive tackle. I figure to play D- End or Strong Safety in college.

[JJEB2]

well if you know you can play then do it bro.

let me ask you when you said your maxes are based on a certain weight done at a certain amount of reps what were they and do you have your actual maxes? i would just like to get a feel for your strength.

[Crowned]

well if you know you can play then do it bro.

let me ask you when you said your maxes are based on a certain weight done at a certain amount of reps what were they and do you have your actual maxes? i would just like to get a feel for your strength.

My lingo is one rep max. Is that what your talking about? I'll take it as a yes and explain. I'm not sure. I can tell you what the highest I've done sets at. Bench: 290. Squat: 375. Clean: Uhmm... can't remember. For the most part when I lift, I like to lift what I can get 10 times. I figure you get higher maxes that way. With my squat, I've never tried anything I couldn't do at least 5 or six times. That 375 is what I last maxed out with and got it nine times. I could guess but wouldn't be accurate.

[JJEB2]

My lingo is one rep max. Is that what your talking about? I'll take it as a yes and explain. I'm not sure. I can tell you what the highest I've done sets at. Bench: 290. Squat: 375. Clean: Uhmm... can't remember. For the most part when I lift, I like to lift what I can get 10 times. I figure you get higher maxes that way. With my squat, I've never tried anything I couldn't do at least 5 or six times. That 375 is what I last maxed out with and got it nine times. I could guess but wouldn't be accurate.

ok well thats still very good. alot of freshman havent grasped the importance of lifting in sports esp football. you definately would be a very very strong safety if you could make that transition. at defensive end it wouldnt be as strong but you are very young. i would say try to get into a JUCO or walk on. stay in state so the money isnta huge issue.

you need to start making some calls and film if need be. you are on a very short end with time right now bc alot of school are accepting students till april or so.

[DBflash21]

I guess I'll lay down my situation. I'm 18 and just completed my senior year of football. Earlier this year, I got a note asking me to release my grades. I was under the assumation that it was some local school(s) who I might have garnished some attention with, I live in Kansas. I paid no attention because I was suppose to move to Washington and possibly play ball up there. I got ****ed around and ending up not going to Washington. So now, I finished my season and my grades weren't released so I got no offers. It sucks seeing other players from my team who aren't as gifted as me getting full rides. Now, entering college I still want to play. I'd like to walk on somewhere such as KU or MU but after reading horror stories about how walk ons are treated. Eh, I just don't know. A player from my school is attending KU, a extremely promising MLB and a linemen from my class got invited there. I was always considered a shortier version of that linebacker who will be a sophmore or junior at KU next fall. Should I walk on or find a smaller school? Sport aren't the only factor, KU and MU are great schools for what I want to study. I keep hearing good things about the AFL's Desperados. I wouldnt mind trying out there. A little help guys?

My stats would help wouldn't they? Here they are.

Height: 6'0
Weight: Around 230, plan on getting up to 250 or so.
Maxes...
Bench: Right now, 340 but my personal goal is 420 before I graduate.
Squat: 490- 500. Again, this shall go up.
Clean: 300. Horrible, consider my bench I know. I just never spent much time with this lift but I will.
These maxs are based off of reps. I'm aware most colleges look at on bar lifts.


My best aspect is my speed. At 230 I run a 4.5 40 and 4.2 agility. I plan on attaining a speed coach to drop those numbers even more. I really want to run a 4.3 electric and be able to keep my weight by summer's end.

I also have a somewhat colorful wrestling career to my credit.

I know, stats or weight room numbers aren't everything but you can get a feel as to what I can do.


So, walk on at KU? MU? Smaller school? AFL?

A couple of years ago I was in a very similar situation. As I took it I was a "preferred" walk-on. But as I soon found out when I got to college, you are either a scholarship player or your not there really isn't any inbetween. Your numbers sound VERY impressive if they are true. To make a long story short I got the run around, and bull shlt here...bull shlt there so I finished out the year, and then I transferred to a JUCO. I feel just like you... I have the talent but never got the look. After being in a JUCO now I wish this is what I'd done right out of highschool. I'm at a good JUCO that get their players out, and I'm very optimistic. I know exactly how you're feeling... "senior year, gotta impress everyone and go somewhere big...blah blah blah" and a lot of time JUCOs are looked down upon, but in my opinion can be used as a great stepping to stone to get a good look, and earn a D1 scholarship. Good luck pro and keep us posted.

[fatback25]

Say kid I can relate to your situation in a way. In High School I was injured my entire jr year on varsity and that killed my chances of getting necessary looks from D1's. I lost my position as a fullback and got moved to GUARD my senior year! But I ended up starting on an OLine that blocked for a 1500 yd rusher and made all district at OG at 5A school in TX. Consequently no D1's are going to look at a 5'11 225 high school OG despite being a good athlete. So I went the JUCO route, moved positions back to Fullback and started 2 seasons at fullback at a JUCO in TX and made some all conference selections and recieved many more offers than I ever did as a high school kid including an offer to play at an SEC school in which I signed with. Granted I ****ed that situation up but thats not the point here. I went to JUCO, built my body and speed up (from 220lbs in H.S to 255 my soph year in juco), got great exposure to 4 year schools, played against great athletes at the JUCO level, actually got playing time on the field, and most importantly I got to take all my basic school courses and started a good foundation to transfer to a 4 year university and recieved an Associates Degree!

So my advice is to look at a Junior College IF PLAYING TIME AND HOPEFULLY PLAYING AT A D1 SCHOOL IS YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL. Do not walk on! If you just want to say you were on the team and your main focus is to just get your college degree(which it should be anyway) then walk on. But you will bust your ass for 3 years and you might see limited time on saturdays. Go to a juco and play 1 or 2 seasons against some great athletes, get D1 looks and offers and take it from there. And certainly do not try out for any pro arena teams bro! You need time to develop physically and mentally before you try to compete against grown men who have families to feed.

If you just want to play college ball and don't care about where, then check out some smaller schools(D2,3, NAIA) but expect to pay alot more out of your pocket than at a JUCO. You are in Kansas and are next to some of the best juco programs in the country like Butler and Coffeyville. If your numbers are accurate then they should be more than happy to give you a look. Signing day is still a few weeks away, bust your ass and call around. Sell yourself to these schools. Not everyone is blessed with having schools beating down their doors. Market yourself, keep working hard and stay away from the anabolics for right now.

Good Luck Bro! Keep us informed.

[Crowned]

Say kid I can relate to your situation in a way. In High School I was injured my entire jr year on varsity and that killed my chances of getting necessary looks from D1's. I lost my position as a fullback and got moved to GUARD my senior year! But I ended up starting on an OLine that blocked for a 1500 yd rusher and made all district at OG at 5A school in TX. Consequently no D1's are going to look at a 5'11 225 high school OG despite being a good athlete. So I went the JUCO route, moved positions back to Fullback and started 2 seasons at fullback at a JUCO in TX and made some all conference selections and recieved many more offers than I ever did as a high school kid including an offer to play at an SEC school in which I signed with. Granted I ****ed that situation up but thats not the point here. I went to JUCO, built my body and speed up (from 220lbs in H.S to 255 my soph year in juco), got great exposure to 4 year schools, played against great athletes at the JUCO level, actually got playing time on the field, and most importantly I got to take all my basic school courses and started a good foundation to transfer to a 4 year university and recieved an Associates Degree!

So my advice is to look at a Junior College IF PLAYING TIME AND HOPEFULLY PLAYING AT A D1 SCHOOL IS YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL. Do not walk on! If you just want to say you were on the team and your main focus is to just get your college degree(which it should be anyway) then walk on. But you will bust your ass for 3 years and you might see limited time on saturdays. Go to a juco and play 1 or 2 seasons against some great athletes, get D1 looks and offers and take it from there. And certainly do not try out for any pro arena teams bro! You need time to develop physically and mentally before you try to compete against grown men who have families to feed.

If you just want to play college ball and don't care about where, then check out some smaller schools(D2,3, NAIA) but expect to pay alot more out of your pocket than at a JUCO. You are in Kansas and are next to some of the best juco programs in the country like Butler and Coffeyville. If your numbers are accurate then they should be more than happy to give you a look. Signing day is still a few weeks away, bust your ass and call around. Sell yourself to these schools. Not everyone is blessed with having schools beating down their doors. Market yourself, keep working hard and stay away from the anabolics for right now.

Good Luck Bro! Keep us informed.

Solid advice, I think I'll look into a juco.

[padik01]

There's a lot of junior college teams that send a ton of talent to division 1 schools. I definately wouldn't walk on somewhere, go to a juco and tear it up for a couple of years. Be sure you pick the right school, Butler college in Ks sends a lot of players to major Div.1 programs as well as a lot of California junior colleges. Good luck