<p>Invited walk-ons in the Ivy League are athletes who do not need the admissions boost to get in, but whom the coach would like to have on the team. By offering them a walk-on spot, the coach reserves his big pushes for students who are more borderline.</p>
<p>It is also a way to get around quotas. The ivies are allowed a max of 35 officially recruited football players in each freshman class per the ivy charter. If they send 35 into admissions odds are they won't get all of them. The walk-ons help them round out their roster.</p>