Former Indiana Football Walk-On Trey Walker Earns Scholarship

Indiana football tight end Trey Walker has earned a scholarship, coach Tom Allen and the Hoosiers announced on Saturday. Walker joined Indiana as a walk-on in 2019.

Trey Walker never played football at his high school in Winnetka, Ill. Instead, he was a three-year letter winner as a hockey player for New Trier High School.

He walked-on to coach Tom Allen's team in 2019, and four seasons later, he'll finally be a scholarship football player for the Indiana Hoosiers. 

Walker's scholarship was announced to the team in a video on Saturday, which played on Walker's past by using a scene from the Adam Sandler movie Happy Gilmore, where famously an amateur hockey player is turned into a professional golfer. 

Hockey player turned scholarship football player – congratulations, @TreyWalker45. pic.twitter.com/vrLYYfALwS

— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) August 19, 2023

Currently listed at roughly 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds, it's not hard to see why Walker was able to make the transition from the ice to the gridiron. He plays the tight end position for the Hoosiers, but has more often seen the field in games on special teams.

Walker was redshirted in 2019 and did not see any game action until 2021, making his debut in Indiana's 56-14 win over Idaho. In total, Walker has played in seven games for IU in his career, has been named a scout team player of the week five times and was named the offensive scout team player of the year in 2020. 

The newest Indiana scholarship tight end is also an outstanding performer in the classroom, being named to the Academic All-Big Ten team twice, and a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar in 2021. 

Walker is the second former Indiana football walk-on to earn a scholarship this week, as Allen announced the same for linebacker Matt Hohlt on Thursday. 

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• MATT HOHLT EARNS SCHOLARSHIP: The Indiana native and former walk-on linebacker earned a scholarship from IU, coach Tom Allen announced on Thursday. CLICK HERE
• HOW ALLEN SUPPORTED BLIDI IN TIME OF CRISIS: Facing a family crisis, Indiana defensive lineman Philip Blidi needed someone to help, and coach Tom Allen came to the rescue. CLICK HERE