Walk-ons are role players for Husker men
Ben Nelson, a Minnesota native, came to Nebraska for academics. Only because a classmate turned to Nelson one day in class and said, ‘You’re big. Play rugby,’ did Nelson oblige and join Nebraska’s club rugby team. Today, he’s a walk-on basketball player.
Nick Krenk was a marketing student assistant in the Nebraska athletic department. He approached then first-year coach Doc Sadler about being a basketball student manager. By the first game of last season, Krenk, because of a rash of injuries to regular players, had not only joined the team as a walk-on, but was playing.
Then, there’s Cole Salomon. The Omaha native, who played a season at NCAA Division II Nebraska-Kearney, transferred to Nebraska so he could join a fraternity and hang with his buddies. Have fun. Be a college student.
The catch? Part of his initiation for Sigma Phi Epsilon was this dare: Participate in walk-on tryouts for the basketball team.
“It was very intense,” Salomon said. “It was one of the toughest workouts I’ve ever gone through.”
Later that October night of 2006, Salomon heard back from Nebraska coaches. They wanted him.
They also wanted Nelson, who originally tried out as a practice player for the women’s team — “Free gear,” Nelson said — but saw a flier that the men’s team was also looking for players. They have free gear, too. And the opportunity for real playing time.
Oh, Nelson certainly got that — at Allen Fieldhouse, in the closing minutes of a lopsided loss to Kansas last season.
“It seems big when you’re walking into the place,” Nelson said, “but when you’re on the court and it’s plum full, it gets pretty small.”
Nelson, Salomon and Krenk are among those seldom-seen walk-ons who look forward to games like Friday's — against 2-11 Maryland-Eastern Shore — when the chance for mop-up minutes is fairly great.
“I look forward to all games, personally,” said Nelson, a 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward who averaged 7.3 points and 6.0 rebounds his senior season at Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City High School. “I’m just as big of a basketball fan as I am a person who loves to play the game.
“If I don’t get to play, I accept that fact. I like to think that if I do play, it’s because I earned it working hard in practice.”
Salomon, a 6-4 guard who averaged 16.5 points and 7.7 rebounds as a senior at Millard North, had to sit out last season because of NCAA transfer rules. He averaged about 7 minutes a game and nearly two points while playing as a freshman two seasons ago at UNK.
Salomon said walk-ons get the same attention from Sadler as the scholarship players.
“Yeah, actually I’m lucky enough that he gets on me and makes me work harder,” Salomon said.
Andrew Wicklund, a 6-5 guard from Colorado Springs, and Mike Diacos, a 6-1 guard from California, are other walk-ons who aim to give Nebraska’s regular rotation solid competition in practice. All but Diacos have played and scored in at least one game this season. Salomon and Nelson, in fact, combined for 11 points against Savannah State.
“They help us a lot, especially with game preparation,” said Sadler, who holds walk-on tryouts the first week of each season. “They go hard, and they take it seriously.”
Krenk, while he looks forward to playing, said practice is more rewarding because competition is actually better. The 6-0 guard also knows he’s helping the regulars prepare.
“For me, practice is awesome,” said Krenk, “and if I get in games, that’s just an added bonus.”
Scout team work intensifies next week, when the Huskers (10-2) prepare for third-ranked Kansas. Nebraska will have eight days before the Jayhawks visit Lincoln for the Big 12 Conference opener.
“We’re going to have to put up our ‘A’ game in practice,” said Salomon, who’ll likely play the role of either Darrell Arthur or Brandon Rush next week.
“I’m hoping it’s Brandon Rush,” Salomon said, “since he’s got the green light to shoot every time.”
Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.
Nick Krenk was a marketing student assistant in the Nebraska athletic department. He approached then first-year coach Doc Sadler about being a basketball student manager. By the first game of last season, Krenk, because of a rash of injuries to regular players, had not only joined the team as a walk-on, but was playing.
Then, there’s Cole Salomon. The Omaha native, who played a season at NCAA Division II Nebraska-Kearney, transferred to Nebraska so he could join a fraternity and hang with his buddies. Have fun. Be a college student.
The catch? Part of his initiation for Sigma Phi Epsilon was this dare: Participate in walk-on tryouts for the basketball team.
“It was very intense,” Salomon said. “It was one of the toughest workouts I’ve ever gone through.”
Later that October night of 2006, Salomon heard back from Nebraska coaches. They wanted him.
They also wanted Nelson, who originally tried out as a practice player for the women’s team — “Free gear,” Nelson said — but saw a flier that the men’s team was also looking for players. They have free gear, too. And the opportunity for real playing time.
Oh, Nelson certainly got that — at Allen Fieldhouse, in the closing minutes of a lopsided loss to Kansas last season.
“It seems big when you’re walking into the place,” Nelson said, “but when you’re on the court and it’s plum full, it gets pretty small.”
Nelson, Salomon and Krenk are among those seldom-seen walk-ons who look forward to games like Friday's — against 2-11 Maryland-Eastern Shore — when the chance for mop-up minutes is fairly great.
“I look forward to all games, personally,” said Nelson, a 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward who averaged 7.3 points and 6.0 rebounds his senior season at Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City High School. “I’m just as big of a basketball fan as I am a person who loves to play the game.
“If I don’t get to play, I accept that fact. I like to think that if I do play, it’s because I earned it working hard in practice.”
Salomon, a 6-4 guard who averaged 16.5 points and 7.7 rebounds as a senior at Millard North, had to sit out last season because of NCAA transfer rules. He averaged about 7 minutes a game and nearly two points while playing as a freshman two seasons ago at UNK.
Salomon said walk-ons get the same attention from Sadler as the scholarship players.
“Yeah, actually I’m lucky enough that he gets on me and makes me work harder,” Salomon said.
Andrew Wicklund, a 6-5 guard from Colorado Springs, and Mike Diacos, a 6-1 guard from California, are other walk-ons who aim to give Nebraska’s regular rotation solid competition in practice. All but Diacos have played and scored in at least one game this season. Salomon and Nelson, in fact, combined for 11 points against Savannah State.
“They help us a lot, especially with game preparation,” said Sadler, who holds walk-on tryouts the first week of each season. “They go hard, and they take it seriously.”
Krenk, while he looks forward to playing, said practice is more rewarding because competition is actually better. The 6-0 guard also knows he’s helping the regulars prepare.
“For me, practice is awesome,” said Krenk, “and if I get in games, that’s just an added bonus.”
Scout team work intensifies next week, when the Huskers (10-2) prepare for third-ranked Kansas. Nebraska will have eight days before the Jayhawks visit Lincoln for the Big 12 Conference opener.
“We’re going to have to put up our ‘A’ game in practice,” said Salomon, who’ll likely play the role of either Darrell Arthur or Brandon Rush next week.
“I’m hoping it’s Brandon Rush,” Salomon said, “since he’s got the green light to shoot every time.”
Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.
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