LINCOLN, Neb. — Derek Wacker is embracing the dream many young boys from small-town Nebraska carry, and he’s determined to hold onto it for as long as possible. Wacker is part of the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team as a walk-on, playing without a scholarship or any NIL deals, and with no certainty if he’ll remain on the team come fall.
As an undersized linebacker, Wacker managed to participate in a few tackles during a scrimmage at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, which involved third- and fourth-string players. With a few thousand fans in attendance, this might be the pinnacle of his football career.
“I feel like I’ve made significant progress this offseason, and I’m ready to tackle it again in the summer,” he remarked. “Regarding my status with the team, we just have to keep working and wait for the final outcome. Nobody really knows what will happen yet.”
The future of walk-ons in college sports, including football, faces an uncertain path due to the impending $2.8 billion House vs. NCAA antitrust lawsuit settlement, which mandates Football Bowl Subdivision teams reduce their rosters to 105 players. In 2024, FBS rosters averaged 128 players.
Initially, teams assumed the 105-player limit would take effect this fall. However, the overseeing judge suggested implementing these limits gradually over time.
“There’s an undercurrent of stress from all the uncertainty,” Wacker commented. “Nobody knows for sure what lies ahead. I have to put my trust in my coaches, maintain faith, and keep striving, believing that everything will turn out fine in the end.”
Matt Rhule, Nebraska’s coach, shares a connection with walk-ons, having once been one himself. Rhule started as a walk-on linebacker at Penn State, and frequently mentions the difficult conversations he dreads having with these players, telling some they won’t remain on the team.
Wacker hails from Yutan, a small town of about 1,400 residents, just 45 minutes from Lincoln. Although he played for a small high school and attracted some attention from Minnesota and a couple of Division II schools, his passion was always set firmly on Nebraska, scholarship or not.
“I’ve been a Husker fan my entire life,” he stated. “There’s no place I’d rather play. Playing in Memorial Stadium in front of fans and family is incredible.”
Nebraska’s tradition of walk-on players dates back to 1962. Langston Coleman marked the beginning of this legacy by hitchhiking from Washington, D.C., to Lincoln after seeking a chance from coach Bob Devaney. Despite not having a scholarship, Coleman earned his place and lettered for three seasons between 1964-66.
Tom Osborne, Nebraska’s legendary coach, carried forward the tradition through the 1970s to the ‘90s. His teams frequently rostered 60-70 walk-ons on a 150-man team, fostering depth and nurturing some of the most dominant offensive lines of the era.
One of the standout stories is that of I.M. Hipp, a walk-on who became a star and was remembered partly for his distinctive name, but more for his remarkable performance in 1977. He rushed for 200 yards three times that season and received All-Big Eight accolades.
Following the path of legends like Coleman, hipp found his way onto the Husker team through persistence. He wrote a letter expressing his desire to join and Osborne, although non-committal, informed Hipp of the fall reporting date for 1975. Opting for a one-way plane ticket to Lincoln, Hipp soon became famous, with T-shirts declaring “I.M. Hipp-notized” becoming best-sellers.
Jeff and Joel Makovicka, brothers from Brainard, Nebraska, also epitomize the walk-on spirit. They started playing eight-man football in high school, walked on at Nebraska, and became standout fullbacks on the team’s legendary 1990s squads.
“It’s a deep culture thing at the University of Nebraska,” Joel Makovicka shared, highlighting how in-state players embody the essence of Nebraska football pride. Walk-ons are instrumental in practice, providing competition that prepares the scholarship players for game day.
Steve Glenn, an offensive lineman who walked on in 1974, managed responsibilities like overseeing a mobile home park while also fulfilling his sports and academic obligations. To him and many others, representing their small hometowns from across Nebraska meant the world, bringing statewide support to the Huskers.
Wacker didn’t get a chance to play in a game last season. Yet, participating in the scrimmage, surrounded by family, gave him a moment worth cherishing, even amid uncertainty about future appearances. Wacker is committed to staying with Nebraska as long as possible, adamantly deciding against entering the transfer portal.
“I cherish this sport, this team, and this state,” Wacker declared. “I wouldn’t change a thing about my journey. I’d do it all over again.”