Fred Kerley and Vernon Norwood Debate Over ‘The Greatest Walk-On Ever’ in NCAA History

Vernon Norwood and Fred Kerley are back at it again with another session of online banter. This time, the two sprinter friends, who often indulge in debates and friendly jabs at each other, talked about their picks for the greatest ‘Walk-ons’ across NCAA through the years.

In terms of college sports, a walk-on refers to someone who comes on board the college track team without any scholarship. In hierarchical terms, that puts walk-on athletes at some of the lower tiers of priority, robbing them of the chance to participate in final rounds as well. However, once they manage to prove their skills and bring in accolades, they might be able to secure financial assistance.

Kerley happened to be a walk-on athlete who later joined the Texas A&M to become one of the NCAA stars of his time. He won the 400m sprint during the 2017 NCAA Division and also carried forth the Aggies’ relay team. Up until then, he honed his skills in the 400m sprint category, achieving several accolades on a collegiate level before finally switching to short-distance sprints.

Replying to a motivational post on X that talked about the need to participate in track and field events even as a walk-on, Kerley remembered his roots.

 

I was a walk-on. I am the Greatest 400m that grace the ncaa rankings https://t.co/ld3c3IYo5D

— Fred Kerley (@fkerley99) October 21, 2024

However, Norwood quickly jumped in to keep his friend and banter partner grounded. He recalled Xavier Carter, one of the most poignant track legends who challenged Usain Bolt to a 200-meter sprint and won. While fans never got to see his career prosper, his NCAA double record of 100m and 400m was unique enough to set him apart as one of the legendary athletes.

“Xavier Carter was the greatest Walk-On ever Fred!!”

Carter’s dominance on track was painfully underrated. And while Bolt eventually got the limelight with his superhuman speed, track and field experts recall the LSU athlete as one-of-a-kind.

In fact, fellow sprinter and competitor Wallace Spearmon also recalled how Carter’s speed and determination to beat the best were intimidating. In a conversation with Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green, he remembered their exchange over a phone call where the LSU sprinter warned him and Bolt to look out for their next race with him. That happened to be the Lausanne meet, where Carter beat Bolt with a jaw-dropping performance.

Norwood seems to have a high standard of walk-on athletes who prove their worth on the track. With Carter as a shining example, he highlighted the legend’s achievements once again for fans to remember.