Recruit- 2015- Alex O'Neill

[tornado]

Wichita STATE UNIVERSITY is a public state school

Alex is a pretty smart kid and would definitely get some academic scholarship aid...but he has other reasons that might still lead him to Bradley

[Da Coach]

Wichita State is a state school, just as Illinois State, Missouri State, Indiana State, Northern Iowa, and SIU are. The 4 private schools in the MVC are Bradley, Drake, Evansville, and Loyola.

And yes, O'Neill would be what is commonly referred to as a recruited walk-on. UNI does this almost every year with one or two recruits, and they have been very successful at developing many of them into All MVC, and even POY players (Adam Koch).

It is likely Alex, who is a very good student, would qualify for non-athletic scholarship aid at Bradley.

[Da Coach]

Dave Reynolds article in PJ Star-

Bradley makes offer to Peoria Christian's Alex O'Neill

http://www.pjstar.com/article/20150418/SPORTS/150419213/12701/SPORTS

[Da Coach]

Dave Reynolds article in PJ Star-

Bradley makes offer to Peoria Christian's Alex O'Neill

http://www.pjstar.com/article/20150418/SPORTS/150419213/12701/SPORTS

[Da Coach]

Tweet from Alex O'Neill's AAU Coach for the Illinois Irish-

https://twitter.com/Illinois_Irish/status/589582763457654785

2015 PF 6'9 Alex Oneill received a scholarship from Bradley University. Young big man doesnt turn 18 until August. #IrishFam

[Da Coach]

Verbal commits now shows the Bradley offer-

http://verbalcommits.com/players/alex-o-neill

[Old Coach]

That is what it says. That would be the same arrangement that Ron Baker had at Wichita. If O'Neill has a similar rise from pay-your-own-way to All Valley I would be ecstatic.

It's similar to what is referred to as a "gray shirt" in college football.

[AZ BU Fan]

This goes back a few years, but my son went to Drake to play football. Drake plays football in a non athletic scholarship division/league.

He was a real goid student, but not exceptional. We were middle class at the time.

He was able to qualify for a number of scholarships and grants from Drake that reduced tuition to State University levels..

Allowed him to get his degree there and play football, until injuries kept him off the field his senior year.

It can be done.

[lefty]

I guess I'm more than a little surprised at this??¦??¦...

[Da Coach]

It's similar to what is referred to as a "gray shirt" in college football.

Kind of, but technically, not exactly the same. The gray shirt designation means the kid delays his enrollment or does not take enough credit hours to be considered a full time student, they get no financial aid, and he does not compete or practice with a team, and thus their NCAA "clock" does not actually start yet and the player still has 5 years to get 4 seasons of eligibility in.
Alex O'Neill will be a full time student and will practice and be part of the team, thus, he will be a true "redshirt".

https://northwestern.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=58&tid=211545865&mid=211545865&sid=901&style=2

Redshirts may or may not get a scholarship, but it mainly means they plan not to play, and thus retain all 4 seasons of eligibility. Every student athlete is entitled to take 1 redshirt season as long as they do not play in any games that year, or a medical redshirt of they play in few enough to qualify for the NCAA medical redshsirt rules.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redshirt_%28college_sports%29

[Da Coach]

I have heard that there were some recruiters advising Alex to do a year of prep school, which wouldn't have been a bad idea for him. I believe if he had done that, he would be a highly recruited big man for the class of 2016. This works better for both sides if Alex accepts. He gets to stay at home, work with coaches who have proven they can develop big men (Alec Brown among others), and in return, Bradley has him locked up if he does merit a scholarship in 1 year. We should know if this happens in the next few days.

The signing period started Wed. April 15, and runs through Wed., May 20.

[BUSongwriter]

I think Max B. would be a great mentor for Alex next year . . .

[tornado]

....differs from a guy like Alex Sorenson...

speaking of Dunlap's Alex Sorenson, who chose the DII route...

he had a really good freshman season at Northern Michigan University...
He started 18 of their 28 games, averaged 8.1 pp (8.4 ppg in conference) , 4.5 rpg, 1.3 blocks, and hit 32.1% of 3-pt attempts
They don't name an All-Freshman team, just FOY, in the GLIAC but his stats put him among the best freshmen in their league.

[Da Coach]

Alex O'Neill has committed to Creighton as a preferred walk-on.


Tweet from his AAU coach-

https://twitter.com/Illinois_Irish/status/590681786717446146

[tornado]

wow - congrats to Alex -- wish him great success there!!