Ivy League (UPenn) Football Walk-On?

<p>To preface this post, I have already been admitted to UPenn's Class of 2017 back in December (I applied ED).</p>

<p>Lately, I've been thinking a lot about trying out for the football team at Penn. Since my high school did not have a football team, I never actually played football officially, but I did run track all four years. I was recruited to a few schools for track, but opted not to get recruited to Penn because I'm not sure of my commitment to track for another four years. Anyway, I know that Penn has won 3 out of the last 4 Ivy League football championships, so I know there's a lot of talent on the team. The fastest guy on Penn's football and track team is a 6'2, 210 lbs DE who's a junior and runs a 10.90 FAT 100m time. </p>

<p>I'm interested in playing RB in college. I'm 17 years old, 6'0, 205 lbs, and I run a 11.0 FAT 100m time (I'm looking to improve on this during the season and over the summer). I'm also planning on putting on another 5-10 lbs of muscle while improving on my speed just so I'll be big enough to compete at the college level. From a physical standpoint, I think I'd stand a fair chance of being on the team, but since I never actually played football, my lack of skill will be a great hindrance. What do you all think my chances are of making the team, getting playing time, etc.?</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>Breaking in as a RB might be difficult but many track stars have found varying degrees of success at the wide receiver position. Maybe you could workout now with your HS quarterback and a few HS receivers to see if that might be a possibility?</p>

<p>without any football experience i highly doubt the coach would look at you. college level sports aren’t about teaching you how to play, but getting the best players. I would try and practice, give it a shot, and worst case try and do track.</p>

Playing football for the first time at the college level will quite a challenge. You would have to display some great raw athletic skills for a coach to take notice. Work on your size and your 40 time. it should be in the 4.6 or less to be a RB or WR. Running and catching balls will do little to prep you for football. Football is a hitting game and you have to like to hit and be hit. Some people like this aspect while others are will shy away from contact. The shy players have all been weeded out by 10 grade. So you will be playing with a bunch of people who have been enjoying hitting other people on the field for 4-6 years. There is a culture to the sport that is unquie and hitting and toughness are a major part of that culture. My advice is to find some how to suit up and play tackle with others to see how you like it.

Football is more about athleticism than anything else. If you are a good enough combination of strength and speed, you may make the team. However, you may not be a running back, you have to completely not mind getting hit to play RB and you need very thick, strong legs. You could be a candidate for special teams, while you learn the game. If you have big hands you could be a receiver. If you aren’t great at catching you could learn to be a cornerback, but it will take some time, but you sound like you could develop the speed and you can learn the rest.

What do you have to lose? GO FOR IT!

@surefootball You don’t need a sub-4.6 40 to be an RB or WR in the Ivy League. Even some skill position guys at the NFL combine aren’t that fast.

@penn2k17 Your best chance to get onto the team will be by trying to play special teams. If you learn how to properly tackle consistently, your speed and size can make you useful on punt coverage and kick off coverage. I think if you reach out to the coach saying you want to play RB when you’ve never played football before and have never taken a hit, he won’t take you seriously. If it’s determined that you can take a hit, then RB and kick/punt returner may be good fits for you, but I’d stick with kick and punt coverage to start off.

I think if you start out on special teams coverage and build more skills there, if you put on some more muscle as you said you would, you can eventually develop into being a speed-rush linebacker, most likely who would be used on 3rd and long situations when you know the other team is going to pass. If you reach that point, you could become be a main contributor to the team.

Regardless of what position you want to play, you can’t wait until you get on campus in late August to approach the team about this. The football team arrives back on campus in early August to start training and practicing. I’d say once you are set that you want to go for this, reach out to a member of the coaching staff and express your interest, explaining that your high school did not have a football team but that you were recruited to run track on the Division I level. Tell them your size and weight and how you’re planning to put on more muscle and your 100 meter time. If you live close to Penn, offer to meet them in person to discuss this.

Just to clarify, were you being recruited by Penn’s track team, or other schools?

Sorry, realized that this was from 3 years ago. Didn’t read the dates. @surefootball Why did you reply to this to confuse all of us haha?

The fact that Penn didn’t win three out of the last four Ivy championships was a dead giveaway to me!

@Falcon1 Given that, and that he also wrote that he was admitted to the class of 2017, clearly my reading comprehension skills are not up to par. @skieurope Can you close down this thread, so it doesn’t confuse more people like me?

1 Like

Closing thread for the reasons mentioned above.