<pre><code> I've been facing a really tough decision trying to choose between two sports
</code></pre>
<p>to try to play in college. I love both football and wrestling and would love to do
either one and I know which ever one I choose, I am going to miss the other. I was
wondering if there was anyone on here that has played football or wrestled or done
both that could give me their opinion. I have a pretty weird situation so I will explain it here.</p>
<p>I go to a Division 1 Big Ten school. I was not recruited by any division 1 schools
for football out of high school, only d2 and d3. I really wanted to attend a D1 school
so that's what I did. I did not wrestle in high school. After high school I started
doing some MMA training which sparked an interest in wrestling so I decided to try to
walk on to my school's wrestling team even though I had zero experience. I was on
the team for 3 months and ended up being the last wrestler to get cut from the team.
The coach told me that I had exceptional work ethic but just did not yet possess the
skill-set for D1 wrestling because I did not have enough experience wrestling beforehand. After
I was cut, I spent the rest of the year on the club wrestling team. Now I'm facing a
tough decision between trying to walk onto the wrestling team again with a little more experience,
or trying to walk-on to the football team. I was a solid football player in HS. All-conference
selection, weightlifter of the year twice, team captain and team MVP senior year. I played both
ways JR and SR year at several different positions. I have a lot more experience in football and
I love playing football, but I also love to wrestle. Does anyone have any advice for me?</p>
<p>Physical Stats:
6'1"
215 lbs.
Bench: 350 lbs.
Squat: 475 lbs. (estimation, been a long time since I maxed in squats)
last recorded 40 time: 4.8 (although I believe I am faster than that now)
Positions I am looking to play: Football - LB or FB
Wrestling - 197 lbs.</p>
<p>It depends on what school you go to. Do you have a chance of walking on at Alabama, USC or Michigan football? Probably not. Talk to the wrestling coach again and see if he thinks you have a chance.</p>
<p>Hey Greenface - former wrestler here. Just my opinion, but in Big 10 football or wrestling - unless you are a recruited scholarship athlete- you’re probably going to end up being practice-squad cannon fodder in either sport. That is, if you crack the squad as a walk-on.</p>
<p>In wrestling, there are stories of guys that started late and succeeded at the D1 level, but they are rare. Lee Kemp started in 10th grade, but he was an anomaly.
You sound like you have great athletic potential, but the pool you’re swimming in might be a little too deep. </p>
<p>I guess you are asking whether your training should focus on one or the other?</p>
<p>When it comes down to it, it looks like you’d have a better chance at football, although I’d think it is already late for this year. If football doesn’t pan out, try wrestling.</p>
<p>Football is a much bigger sport in colleges and in the US in general. Wrestling is either you love it or you don’t (it creeps some people out). Football has WAY more scholarships too, it seems like you are a sophomore now, so if there is a potential to walk on (do you actually know if they have walk-on evaluation days in the future or if they are past for this year?), and you get a spot and do well, there could be some scholarship money in it for junior year depending on the school’s needs.</p>
<p>I do know players who were recruited for both football and wrestling, and it came down to if they were close to 6’ let alone shorter, they went to wrestling. You are on the edge of that - look up the heights and weights of current football players.</p>
<p>And contact one or both coaches ASAP to see if there are walk-on options - if you can’t walk on to football, why kvetch over it - pick wrestling!</p>
<p>With all due respect it would appear to me the college wresting and college football ship has already sailed. At best you would try to walk-on to a Big Ten football or wrestling program against some of the best in the country. While I understand it is great to dream big there comes a time where you have to spend your time where it matters most AND where you can actually play even if you made any team. College sports is a tremendous grind and it takes a lot away from any social life as well as academics. Rudy was a great movie, but it was just that a movie.</p>
<p>You mentioned MMA. Are there other related NCAA sports or clubs that transition better such as karate, twan-kwan-do, judo, cross-fit or something else that has crossed your mind. If you spend the time practicing a sport you want a chance to actually do it. Walking onto a Big Ten football or wrestiling program has a lot of practicing with no playing written all over it. If there aren’t these clubs at your school , you could start something new from scratch. This would be something that could impress a future employer…just something to think about.</p>