LINCOLN, Neb. -- Finally, Brad Simpson can call himself a scholarship player at a big-time football school. Its taken him four years, and hes run up student-loan debt into the tens of thousands of dollars. With one season to play, he says his walk-on experience at Nebraska has been worth every penny.Derek Foster also walked on at Nebraska. He never earned a scholarship. In fact, he never played a down in his five years. He says he, too, got his moneys worth.With the start of classes across the country, freshman walk-on players are hitting practice fields to round out rosters and chase dreams. A lot of them turned down scholarships from lower-division schools and are challenging themselves to see if they can hack it in Division I. Their hopes are to become significant contributors and get a scholarship.The reality is that most will transfer or quit. In fact, 15 of the 20 walk-ons who entered Nebraska with Foster in 2010 did just that. Foster never considered it.Im a small-town kid who grew up in Nebraska. There was one team I watched, and one team only, and that was the Huskers, said Foster, whos from Elm Creek, population 934, and graduated in 2014. To have the opportunity to walk through the tunnel and step on the field was a win in itself there. People always ask if I regret it that I didnt play a single down when I could have gone to a D-II school, had a scholarship and started right way. The answer: I dont have a single regret.Walk-ons always have been part of college football. Nebraska was among the first programs to make a point of seeking out prospects who might not be talented enough to merit a scholarship but could help the team.Nebraskas rosters regularly numbered 175-200 into the early 2000s. Stricter enforcement of Title IX, which requires equitable opportunities for male and female athletes, has led to a reduction in squad sizes. The Huskers now cap their roster at about 140, with 85 of them being scholarship players. That means Nebraska must be more selective when it comes to walk-ons.Except for having to pay for tuition, room and board, walk-ons are treated the same as scholarship players. Theyre given the cost-of-attendance stipend, a laptop and Adidas gear, and they have access to the academic support and life skills programs.Still, from 2008 to 2015, 80 of the 153 walk-ons (53 percent) left before completing their eligibility. But 2012 brought one of the best walk-on classes in program history, with 10 of the 22 earning scholarships, and at least three will be starters this season.Director of high school relations Kenny Wilhite estimated 85 percent of Nebraska walk-ons had scholarship offers from lower-division programs. Walk-ons from in-state will pay about $20,000 this year for tuition, room and board; for out-of-state walk-ons its about $35,000.This is a great institution. You have that Nebraska degree, and it goes a long way, Wilhite said, but its still tough to sell when kids have scholarship offers.Simpson, from the Omaha suburb of Ralston, said he had to think long and hard about saying no to offers of partial scholarships from Division II Nebraska-Kearney and Northwest Missouri State and saying yes to the walk-on opportunity presented by the former Nebraska staff.The son of an office worker and retired electrician, Simpson estimated his student-loan debt at $80,000 to $90,000.Every time the email comes, I dont look at it, Simpson said of his loan statements. Its all an investment. If I ever think about the money, I just say put in your time, put in your money and it will all pay off -- the education, the experience, the connections.Simpson, part of that stellar 2012 walk-on class, worked 40 hours a week at an Omaha supermarket the summer following his senior year of high school. Meanwhile, the incoming scholarship players spent that summer on campus training with the returning players and adjusting to campus.Simpson said it was intimidating being around the scholarship players at first, but he never felt looked-down upon. A linebacker, he spent his first year playing on the scout team and has become a key member of special teams the last three years.Coach Mike Riley told Simpson a little over a week ago that he had done enough to earn a scholarship this season.It meant the world, he said. Ever since I got here, that was the biggest accomplishment I could have. For me to reach my goal like that, its not overwhelming but a big feeling of accomplishment, that I proved to myself I could do this.Simpson is on track to graduate with a communications degree in December and begin a career selling medical equipment.Im not leaving this place having regrets, he said.Foster certainly had none. Nebraska-Kearney put together an attractive scholarship offer and was persistent, but Foster couldnt turn down the Huskers when he picked up the phone on Jan. 27, 2010 -- his birthday -- and assistant coach Barney Cotton was on the line asking him to walk on.Foster had no academic scholarship to offset costs. His parents, who own the grocery store in Elm Creek, were able to pay his way.Those long days of conditioning, weightlifting and serving as practice meat never paid off with playing time. The closest he got was in a 2012 blowout of Idaho State. He was set to go in late in the game on the kickoff unit. Unfortunately, the Huskers never scored again, so it didnt happen. Now hes a financial planner in Lincoln.I did everything I could while I was there, Foster said. I would have loved to have gotten in and contributed on game day rather than just practice. That wasnt my calling. People say, `How in the heck did you stick it out for five years and never play a down? You hear that and ask yourself if youre wasting your time.That whole time, it was a life lesson, too. Just going through it and having the perseverance to keep going and keep working hard and saying, `Yeah, if I get in, great; if not, I know Im making the guy to my left and right better. Thats the mentality I took.---AP college football website: http://collegefootball.ap.org Air Max 720 Sortie . -- An ugly goal by Nick Bonino helped the Anaheim Ducks overcome the defensive-minded Phoenix Coyotes on a night when their ragged power play continued to struggle. Air Max 720 France . Belfort (24-10) needed just 77 seconds to down Henderson in the headlining bout of Saturdays "UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Henderson" event at Goiania Arena in Goiania, Brazil. The fight served as a rematch of the pairs 2006 meeting, which Henderson won by decision. http://www.airmax720pascher.fr/ . -- Matt Rupert scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the London Knights extended their win streak to nine games by defeating the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Chaussure Air Max 720 Pas Cher . LOUIS -- Mike Smith is used to facing plenty of shots, so this was nothing new. Air Max 720 Acheter .C. -- After a listless first half, the Washington Wizards used a big third quarter run to beat the Charlotte Bobcats Bradley Beal scored 21 points and the Wizards used a 17-0 run in the third quarter to take control of what had been a close game and beat the Bobcats 97-83 on Tuesday night. LOS ANGELES -- Nobody wanted to be left out Saturday, as the first seven hitters in the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup had multihit games, with Joc Pederson leading the way with a home run, double and single.The Dodgers, who lead the majors in batting average and slugging percentage since the All-Star break, combined 17 hits and a pair of successful challenges for an 8-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.Were just grinding as a team, putting together quality at-bats, Pederson said. Weve been hitting balls hard for a while now. It was nice to get a game where everybody got a benefit from it.The offense has been swinging the bat really well, he said. The bullpen has been doing really well. Weve just been playing good baseball. We have to keep building on that.The Dodgers hit five doubles and used three Pittsburgh errors to win a game that did not see a 1-2-3 inning until the bottom of the eighth.Pederson had his 17th homer, a two-run shot. Corey Seager also three hits and an RBI as Los Angeles overcame a 3-1 deficit by scoring in each of the first six innings.Relievers Josh Fields, Julio Urias (3-2), Joe Blanton, Pedro Baez, Josh Ravin and Kenley Jansen combined to hold Pittsburgh to one run over 7 1/3 innings. Jansen got his 35th save.A starter in his 10 previous appearances, Urias came with two outs in the third, and pitched 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.Its a huge win for us, Pederson said. It didnt go the way we planned, but Julio stepped up big, and we were able to get some runs and win the ballgame.The Pirates, who had 10 hits to go with 11 walks, tied a franchise record by leaving 18 men on base. They left the bases loaded in the first and second innings.They were out there. We couldnt get them in, manager Clint Hurdle said. I dont think we were trying to do anything except fight, scratch, claw our way back into the game.Dodgers starter Brandon McCarthy was forced from the game in the second inning with right hip stiffness. He walked home runs in runs in both the first and second innings as he struggled with control for his second straight start.I just couldnt work through it. I think its more game intensity. In the bullpen I can get through it, he said. I need tto take some time and get the body right.ddddddddddddIve got to get back physically to a good point. Whatever that takes, however long it takes.McCarthy walked five and hit one of the 13 batters he faced, throwing 29 of 51 pitches out of the strike zone.Gerrit Cole (7-8) gave up 12 hits and six runs in 4 1/3 innings.Jung Ho Kang hit his 12th home run and Francisco Cervelli had three hits for the Pirates. Pittsburgh had won 14 of 18 from the Dodgers before this loss.The Dodgers needed their second successful challenge -- and a 2:29 review -- to take a 6-3 lead in the fifth.Urias put down a sacrifice bunt to first baseman John Jaso, and Howie Kendrick broke home from third. Kendrick made a wide dive to avoid Cervellis sweeping tag, and plate umpire Jim Joyce called him out. The call was overturned on replay.The Dodgers tied it at 3 in the third thanks to a successful challenge and Kangs two errors on one play at third base.TRAINERS ROOMPirates: OF Starling Marte left the game in the eighth inning with upper back discomfort. ... Sidelined since July 2, C Chris Stewart (knee) began a rehab assignment Friday night at Double-A Altoona, catching seven innings. ... Cervelli returned to the lineup after missing two games with left wrist discomfort.Dodgers: 3B Justin Turner was a late scratch from the lineup with a right hand contusion, replaced by rookie Dave Segedin. ... RHP Bud Norris (mild mid-back strain) was scheduled to make his first rehab start Saturday for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga.UP NEXTPirates: RHP Chad Kuhl (2-0,3.91) gets the start on Sunday. The 23-year-old rookie made his MLB debut (5IP/3ER) against the Dodgers on June 26, outdueling Clayton Kershaw in Pittsburghs 4-3 victory. The right-hander has allowed two runs over his last two starts.Dodgers: LHP Brett Anderson, who underwent back surgery in March, makes his season debut for the Dodgers on Sunday. In three rehab starts, he went 0-1 with a 2.25 ERA in 12 innings. He was 10-9 in 31 starts with Los Angeles in 2015, and will be the 13th starting pitcher used by the Dodgers this year. China NFL Jerseys Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap Basketball Jerseys Online Stitched Hockey Jerseys Wholesale Baseball Jerseys Football Jerseys Outlet College Jerseys For Sale Cheap MLB Jerseys Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys For Sale Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' '