7 Freshmen

[pantherfan4ever]

why are we discussing if a walk-on should be on the team or not? JC's exactly right, hes not taking a scholarship from anyone so whats the big deal. I actually applaud him that he wants to dedicate himself to the basketball team as well a being a student with the realization that he doesn't get a scholarship for it and has very little playing time (probably) in his future.

I totally agree with you!! I dont know if he will get minutes in the future or not, but walk ons are walk ons and they almost always work harder than anyone on the team and bring a ton to practice, where a lot of learning is done. I am sure he has earned his spot otherwise he wouldnt be on the team and someone else would...

What is with everyone always trying to play coach? I am pretty sure Jacobson has earned his Head Coaching Job and wouldnt have the kid on the squad if he wasnt fulfilling his role.. dont you think?!?

[UNIPNTHR]

I am confident that he will have 4-5 games this year where he will have 15+ pts and 10 rebounds. They are winning without him having to be impactful. That is a good thing for a kid that has to grow into his ability.

-Jordan is good.
-Jordan is going to get better.
-Jordan will not have 4-5 double doubles this year.

His best games this year include a 8 pt 7 board vs. Pepperdine and a 7 pt 6 brd night vs. UMKC both 30 pt-ish blowouts. Jordan MIGHT get a double double against Wartburg this year, but once we get into the Valley season Jordan will get his lumps in the first half of games to give the big boys a rest and keep them out of foul trouble. To say he'll have 4 to 5 double doubles is a stretch.

That said, one of my favorite things about Jordan is that he can shoot free throws: 7-9 on the season. Next year and the following years, when he comes into his own in the paint and gets aggressive, those will be valuable and productive trips to the line.

[UNI MadCat]

You people criticizing this kid or walk-ons in general are seriously, truly and honestly dopes.

Teams play 1, 2 or 3 games a week. The rest of the time their competition is the bench players, walk-ons and even equipment managers that are willing to bust their butt to help the team prepare... even though they know they'll likely never play. Unless you're a team like Duke, you don't have players 1-16 who all are capable of starting at another D-1 school. So instead you need to find hard nosed workaholics that will give 150% and expect little to no recognition by the common fan for their efforts.

This story reminds me a of a guy for Wisconsin named Tanner Bronson. Tanner started as the equipment manager and filled in as an extra body and the word was that he could shoot lights out. Then he started to suit up. Now he's on partial scholarship and has played sparingly but yet some very critical minutes over the last two years for the #7 ranked D-1 program in the country. Tanner is listed at 5-11 but if he's a spec over 5-9 I'd be shocked.

Or, closer to home... how about a guy like Chris Stimmel who played on UNI's football team in the late 90s to early 00's?? He "starred" in high school for a Class 1A team that might have won 5 games in his whole career (my high school beat his one year 81-8 in one half. Not a mis-print). Anyway, he came to UNI just for school and ended up going to walk-on tryouts the following spring. He made the team and by the end of his career was a starter in the defensive backfield and I believe even had some Gateway accolades.

There are handful of Tanner Bronson's and Chris Stimmel's that emerge as quality contributors who started as walk-ons. And you want to get rid of guys like this?? Idiotic.

Oh, and one more thing... ask Mark Farley how he feels about walk-ons!!! (in case you literally just became a Panther fan yesterday, you should know that MF started his UNI football career as the "Walk-on from Waukon".)

[pantherfan4ever]

You people criticizing this kid or walk-ons in general are seriously, truly and honestly dopes.

Teams play 1, 2 or 3 games a week. The rest of the time their competition is the bench players, walk-ons and even equipment managers that are willing to bust their butt to help the team prepare... even though they know they'll likely never play. Unless you're a team like Duke, you don't have players 1-16 who all are capable of starting at another D-1 school. So instead you need to find hard nosed workaholics that will give 150% and expect little to no recognition by the common fan for their efforts.

This story reminds me a of a guy for Wisconsin named Tanner Bronson. Tanner started as the equipment manager and filled in as an extra body and the word was that he could shoot lights out. Then he started to suit up. Now he's on partial scholarship and has played sparingly but yet some very critical minutes over the last two years for the #7 ranked D-1 program in the country. Tanner is listed at 5-11 but if he's a spec over 5-9 I'd be shocked.

Or, closer to home... how about a guy like Chris Stimmel who played on UNI's football team in the late 90s to early 00's?? He "starred" in high school for a Class 1A team that might have won 5 games in his whole career (my high school beat his one year 81-8 in one half. Not a mis-print). Anyway, he came to UNI just for school and ended up going to walk-on tryouts the following spring. He made the team and by the end of his career was a starter in the defensive backfield and I believe even had some Gateway accolades.

There are handful of Tanner Bronson's and Chris Stimmel's that emerge as quality contributors who started as walk-ons. And you want to get rid of guys like this?? Idiotic.

Oh, and one more thing... ask Mark Farley how he feels about walk-ons!!! (in case you literally just became a Panther fan yesterday, you should know that MF started his UNI football career as the "Walk-on from Waukon".)

Ok, as i posted a couple posts before you, i do agree with you on how valuable walk-ons are to a team.. especially in preperation and practices... I like that molsted made the team and i hear he does work his butt off.. im sure he earned his spot otherwise jacobson would cut him.. so yes, i think he deserves to be on the team for sure!!!

However, calling people names for having a different opinion is probably not necesary either. There are hundreds of walk-ons across the country and most never get PT unless it is a blowout type game (if even then). So, to point out a couple walk ons that became good roll players or studs doesnt really mean much. So, I think the best arguments is to just point out how valuable walk ons are to teams and how much they do help out a team, especially in preparation. and Jacobson obviously sees something in molsted otherwise he wouldnt be on the team... i think these are better arguments than pointing out the handful of players that became studs or good roll players, etc..

[UNIPNTHR]

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061212/SPORTS0208/612120392/1003/SPORTS&lead=1

Here's another story of local flavor that seems to be on topic with the direction that this thread had taken.

[UNI MadCat]

However, calling people dopes is probably not necesary. there are hundreds of walk-ons across the country and most never get PT unless it is a blowout type game (if even then). So, to point out a couple walk ons that became good roll players or studs doesnt really mean much.

I pointed those three examples out because they were neat stories of finding a "diamond in the rough". Gee, lets see... do I really believe that this is the SOLE reason for having walk-ons? Because every once in awhile one might turn out to be a stud? No. But thanks for playing.

That's far from the main reason walk-ons are so valuable. The reasons are what I clearly stated prior to that. Teams are only going to be as good as their walk-ons and practice players. These people are the get down and dirty guys that get no credit but who week in and week out are preparing the main guys for their next battle. If these guys dont give 150% (and expect little in return) then our boys won't be ready.

I just think its ridiculous for anyone to ever say anything against a walk-on.

They are the lifeblood of any good athletic program.

[UNIPNTHR]

I just think its ridiculous for anyone to ever say anything against a walk-on.

They are the lifeblood of any good athletic program.

Main Entry: life·blood
Pronunciation: 'lIf-'bl&d, -"bl&d
Function: noun
1 : blood regarded as the seat of vitality
2 : a vital or life-giving force or component <freedom of inquiry is the lifeblood of a university>

[Kaboom]

I believe that Egleseder in a Hawkeye uniform would have gotten more minutes than he did for the Panthers the other night and bet that Alford is kicking himself for not making the trip to Eastern Iowa to recruit the big fella.
I am confident that he will have 4-5 games this year where he will have 15+ pts and 10 rebounds. They are winning without him having to be impactful. That is a good thing for a kid that has to grow into his ability.

I really don't think Jordan would have gotten any more minutes w/the Hawks. IMO, he should have redshirted this season. I just don't think he's ready to contribute at a consistant level yet. He's a lot more raw than I had originally hoped. He needs to refine his footwork, get a lot stronger, and LEARN HOW TO DUNK. Molstead would at least attempt a dunk....that was a jokeI I love the kids potential, but right now he's too soft for the MVC. He should get 4-8 minutes to bail Grant or Eric of foul trouble. Hopefully over the summer he attends a big man camp and really improves his game. I think eventually he can be a big time impact player.

[Khan4Cats]

There is a reason that Tyler Griffin is a co-captain with Stout and McKowen. It's not just because he is a senior, its what he has done for the team. Did you see the bench reaction when he made the three against UMKC? The guys who see most of the action know what he means. The guys who he pushed in practice the last few years know what he means. Haak, Molstead are more walk-ons who will continue to do the thankless work behind the scenes and I will always cheer loud when they get their chance to get on the floor.

[Khan4Cats]

I really don't think Jordan would have gotten any more minutes w/the Hawks. IMO, he should have redshirted this season. I just don't think he's ready to contribute at a consistant level yet. He's a lot more raw than I had originally hoped. He needs to refine his footwork, get a lot stronger, and LEARN HOW TO DUNK. Molstead would at least attempt a dunk....that was a jokeI I love the kids potential, but right now he's too soft for the MVC. He should get 4-8 minutes to bail Grant or Eric of foul trouble. Hopefully over the summer he attends a big man camp and really improves his game. I think eventually he can be a big time impact player.

I disagree. He gave us very good minutes in the fist half against Iowa when Grant picked up two quick fouls. He had a number of godd looks against Iowa State that rolled off, or he found himself more open when he was expecting contact. Those are learning curve moments and he is getting better each game. The kid runs the floor in transition! There is no one in the Valley that can match him and I hope to see us start to use him as an advantage and make teams try to match up with us for a change. IS he going to be double-double player this year? Probably not. Will he continue to play meaningful minutes and improve all year? Absolutely. Will he be a weapon to have in the arsenal all year? You bet. Come February I think we will really start to see just how good he can become.

[Panthers to the Bone]

The fact of the matter is...if Eglseder starts getting double-doubles this year, it means one of two things:

1.) He begins playing so well that he takes some of Coleman/Stout's minutes
or
2.) Either Coleman/Stout are injured

If Jordan was able to post a double double with 15 minutes a game, that would be awesome. However, I don't see Stout/Coleman getting fewer than 25 minutes per game, and unless Adam Koch begins to see a drop in minutes, Eglseder will be around 15 minutes/game. Guys, 15 min/game is great for a freshman that is as big as Jordan. It will keep him fresh down the stretch, it will keep Koch/Coleman/Stout fresh down the stretch, and overall it will be a healthy thing for the team.

Jordan could get double doubles this year if he played more. His shots will start to fall consistently. His FT shooting is pretty amazing. If he doesn't block shots in the pain, he alters them. What Jordan brings to the table is going to be a consistent 'big man' presence in every game he plays in. The fact is, he plays behind 2 All-Conference performers. I wouldn't have wanted Jordan to redshirt this year b/c that would mean Stout/Coleman playing even more extended minutes (I mean it would have been a big time luxury if he would have). We have seen what extended minutes mean to teams as they go down the stretch towards the end of the season. It will keep this team fresh. And fresh big men are hard to keep as the season goes down. Fatigued big men= jumpers going short, rimming out leaners, more injury prone, and mental lapses. What Koch and Eglseder provide are awesome...now next year, with two bigs coming in and one leaving (Stout), I would hope that one would redshirt. 4 bigs are good, but 5 are probably too much...most of the time (unless they don't have any redshirts available).

[JayJ79]

does a team have a limited number of redshirts available? I hadn't heard of such things, but then I don't really pay that close attention to the behind-the-scenes aspects.

and on a tangent, are there limited football redshirts, b/c it seems like most players RS a year

[Panthers to the Bone]

I meant a player not having a redshirt (meaning they have already used it up).

[Panthers to the Bone]

No, there is no such thing as a limited number of redshirts. Same goes for football.

[JayJ79]

thanks for the clarification