Okay, so, let’s talk about this “PWO” thing I’ve been hearing about in college football. I gotta say, it took me a while to figure out what it even stood for, let alone what it meant. Turns out, PWO means “Preferred Walk-On.”
Now, I’m no football expert, but I do love watching the game, especially college football. I started seeing this term tossed around, and my curiosity got the better of me. I thought to myself, “What’s the deal with these ‘preferred walk-ons’? Are they like, special or something?”
So, I did what any curious person would do – I started digging. I looked it up online, and I found some articles and forum posts talking about it. It seemed like there was a bit of confusion about what a PWO actually is.
Here’s the gist of what I found out:
- Walk-ons are basically players who join a team without a scholarship. They’re not actively recruited like the scholarship players.
- A PWO is a type of walk-on, but they’re invited by the coaches to join the team. It’s like the coaches see something in them, even though they can’t offer a scholarship right away.
Initially, I wondered, “Why would someone agree to be a PWO? Why not just try to get a scholarship?” But then I realized that getting a scholarship for a big-time college football program is tough. There are only so many to go around. For some guys, being a PWO might be their best shot at playing for a top team.
I also learned that FBS (those are the big college teams) teams can only have 105 players before the first game or the start of school, whichever happens first. So, not everyone can make the cut, even if they’re good.
I spent a good chunk of time reading about the differences between regular walk-ons and these “preferred” ones. It’s kind of a big deal because it affects how players are treated and what opportunities they get. I mean, who wants to be treated like an afterthought, right?
From what I gathered, being a PWO doesn’t guarantee you a spot on the roster, but it’s better than nothing. It’s like getting a foot in the door. You still have to work your tail off to prove yourself, but at least you have a chance.
I even read that the NCAA is going to do this “revenue sharing” thing next season, and it might change how many players are on the roster. It sounds like all of them could be eligible for scholarships, which is pretty cool.
So, yeah, that’s my little adventure into the world of PWOs. It was a fun little research project, and now I feel like I understand a bit more about how college football works behind the scenes. It also made me appreciate the dedication and hard work of these athletes even more. They are fighting for their dream.
