Walk-ons – the players who aren’t always in the spotlight but who deserve their fair share of attention. The playing time they collect might be scarce, but they still support the team and come out every day purely for the experience of putting on the Orange and Blue.

I’m sure the majority of Illini fans believe walk-ons are the “scrubs” of the team – those players that suffer through practice without reaping the rewards of playing time. That they come out every day of the week just to get thrown around by the starters during practice. Like the famous Rudy Ruettiger of Notre Dame, they’re the tackling dummies on a football team, merely meant to improve the starters.

This is far from the case, though. Ever hear of Jacob Willis, Frank Lenti Jr., Doug Pilcher, or Josh Norris? These are all guys who originally walked on but have since earned scholarships and contribute to the team on the field.

Willis might have been a walk-on when he first arrived on campus, but it doesn’t appear that way these days. After solid performances in all six of Illinois’ games, Willis looks like Juice Williams’ go-to receiver in big game situations. Willis is the Illini’s second leading receiver with ten grabs for 242 yards and three scores.

But check out Willis’ player biography page online – it’s blank. Even the Illini sports Web site, http://www.fightingillini.com, isn’t showing him love or giving him the credit he’s earned while working his way up as a walk-on.

Willis, like some of Illinois’ most successful walk-ons of the past, has a realistic chance of taking his play to the next level.

Three of Illinois’ walk-ons in the past earned their stripes on the sideline and contributed in the Illinois football program – players such as wide receivers Greg Lewis, Aaron Moorehead and Nathan Hadel went professional after college. Like Willis, these players were not recruited in high school to play football at a big-time program but were determined to play, even if it meant working their way up the depth charts.

Lewis came to the university as a walk-on, but quit the team as a freshman after a discouraging start to the season. Walter Young, Lewis’ cousin and current wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Moorehead, Lewis’ roommate at the time, refused to let Lewis quit.

“I always felt I was better than those who received scholarships and were drafted into the NFL,” Lewis was quoted as saying on the Philadelphia Eagles’ Web site. “It still motivates me to this day.”

Good thing his friends helped him persevere. Lewis was rewarded with a scholarship and finished his Illinois career with 103 receptions, 10th on Illinois’ all-time list, collecting 1,456 recieving yards (eighth) and 12 touchdowns – far from “scrub” numbers.

Lewis then went on to bigger and better things in the NFL. He has played in all 16 games for the Philadelphia Eagles the past two seasons, catching 48 passes in 2005.

Although his career has been a little less stellar than Lewis’, Moorehead was also able to reach the NFL as a wideout for the Indianapolis Colts after walking on at Illinois and earning a scholarship.

Long snapper Nathan Hodel never earned a scholarship during his four years with Illinois, yet he made it to the NFL and is playing for the Arizona Cardinals.

So why are walk-ons never given the respect they deserve? A scholarship, while beneficial in many ways, does not always determine a player’s ability on the field. Lacking the reputation of scholarship players, walk-ons are often motivated to out-work and out-hustle others just to prove themselves. This, in itself, demands respect.

Troy Murray is a junior in Communcations. He can be reached at [email protected].