:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/5051921/20120901_mje_se2_357.0.jpg)
Luke Del Rio decommitted from Oklahoma State and seemed set to make his commitment to Oregon State. And then he realized the possibility of being a member of the Alabama Crimson Tide was too good to pass up, even if it means having to play as a preferred walk-on.
In somewhat of a surprise, Valor Christian (Colo) QB Luke Del Rio will walk on at #Alabam over taking a scholarship at #OregonState
— Greg Biggins (@GregBiggins) December 15, 2012
"I wasn't going to base my decision solely on having a scholarship. Athletically, socially, and academically, #Alabama was best fit for me"
— Greg Biggins (@GregBiggins) December 15, 2012
"I was leaning heavily to Oregon State until my mom made me take the visit to Alabama and I realized this was best fit for me" Luke Del Rio
— Greg Biggins (@GregBiggins) December 15, 2012
Luke, I'm sure you think you can win the starting job at Alabama. I'm sure you think you can even earn a scholarship.
But this is a strange decision.
For one, you're not the first Elite 11 quarterback to commit to Alabama this year. That honor belongs to Cooper Bateman of Utah. While you definitely outperformed Bateman at the Elite 11 camp, Bateman got the scholarship from the Tide and you didn't, so it's clear they see something they really like with Bateman. That means one serious contender you'll have to deal with for this job, and we haven't even gotten into
I get full well that you want to compete with the best and earn what figures to be the best job in the land as long as Nick Saban is there--starting quarterback for the most talented team in college football.
But couldn't you do that by just getting a guaranteed scholarship? Those things aren't easy to get. Now you risk getting cut loose and seriously having to struggle on the margins of college football.
What a bizarre situation.