Can someone tell me how walk-ons work? When should you cut them if you want to open up a roster spot? Is there are a penalty for doing so? I think I have a scholarship I'm not using because I've got too many walk-ons.

I cut them all right away. Other players keep most of them. But if they completely fill your roster definitely cut one or two.

so you just carry fewer players?

From what I recall, most college teams have an 8 or 9 man rotation with the 10th,11th or 12th men getting minimal chances to play. I think it's pretty rare to have a team use more than 12 players in a season unless there's some major injuries. A lot of that has to do with the game being shorter in minutes and slower paced for a lot of smaller teams who don't have talent to run like an NBA team. So only carrying 13 players (and redshirting one or two) still keeps you in line with a normal college. Since you can only have 13 scholarships max, cutting your 14th and 15th guys if they're walk-ons just opens up a walk-on spot next season. If you find no value in them (which is often the case), then cut them like Wayne does and you won't miss them.

** and you only get a possible drop in prestige if you cut a scholarship player.

If I'm playing a game out but letting the AI make most of the decisions I don't want a walk on being put in at a crucial time. That's why I cut my walk ons.

Wayne23 wrote:If I'm playing a game out but letting the AI make most of the decisions I don't want a walk on being put in at a crucial time. That's why I cut my walk ons.

I'm finding that my veteran walk-ons can contribute in small amounts, presumably (on my part) because they know my sets. I'm actually wondering now if some of them have hidden potential and what they need are steady minutes.
I don't let the AI make my substitutions after the first 10 minutes of the game, so it's not a concern that they'll play when I don't want.

jlemmen43 wrote:From what I recall, most college teams have an 8 or 9 man rotation with the 10th,11th or 12th men getting minimal chances to play. I think it's pretty rare to have a team use more than 12 players in a season unless there's some major injuries. A lot of that has to do with the game being shorter in minutes and slower paced for a lot of smaller teams who don't have talent to run like an NBA team. So only carrying 13 players (and redshirting one or two) still keeps you in line with a normal college. Since you can only have 13 scholarships max, cutting your 14th and 15th guys if they're walk-ons just opens up a walk-on spot next season. If you find no value in them (which is often the case), then cut them like Wayne does and you won't miss them.

** and you only get a possible drop in prestige if you cut a scholarship player.

So I can cut walk-ons after my players have bolted and I need to bring in a transfer?

sgran70 wrote:So I can cut walk-ons after my players have bolted and I need to bring in a transfer?

Not sure what you mean. Could you give an example possibly?