Ricky Walker Realizes His Football Dream

Two Saturdays ago at the conclusion of practice at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, a ruckus broke loose. Many onlookers in the stands were confused when Ricky Walker, Jake Tonges, and Ben Hawk Schrider emerged from the mass of Cal football players. But one group had a hunch. They were Walker’s grandparents and mother. Soon, they learned what they thought was happening was actually happening. After three seasons as a walk-on — paying his way through school while working out, practicing, and playing in a game with Cal’s football team — Walker earned a scholarship.

“They were juiced for me for sure,” Walker said of his family’s reaction. “And it’s a big relief, you know. I don’t have to pay for school anymore.” 

Good point.

For Walker, who grew up attending Cal games, it was a long, arduous journey. At 20-years-old, Walker’s fandom runs deep. Born at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Berkeley, Walker grew up in Oakland and played at San Leandro High School. He’s quick to rattle off his favorite Cal players — Jahvid Best, Marshawn Lynch, and DeSean Jackson. “Cal’s always been that hometown team I’d come and watch,” Walker adds.

His football roots run deep as well. His father played for Oregon State and it was at age four when Walker played his first down of organized football. After four years of flag football, Walker graduated to tackle football and played for the San Leandro Crusaders as an eight-year-old. Walker remembers it vividly because it was the fall after the 2006 Rose Bowl. Many still remember the clash between the Southern Cal Trojans and Texas Longhorns — both coming off undefeated seasons and boasting prolific offenses with offensive stars. One of those stars influenced Walker’s early football career.

“Reggie Bush was my all-time favorite college player, you know,” Walker said of the Heisman-winning running back from USC. On the other side of the field was Vince Young leading the Longhorns at quarterback. The 41-38 Longhorn win was one of the most classic college football games in recent history and it changed the course of Walker’s life. From then on, he’d be a running back. 

“That year after I started playing tackle football and I was a running back for pretty much every year up until my senior year of high school,” Walker says.

That is, until his senior season when he switched from running back and defensive back to quarterback. In San Leandro High’s offense, the best athlete went in the QB position. And during his senior year, that was Walker. “I was able to throw some touchdowns, run for some touchdowns, you know, just be a leader out there,” Walker recalled.

While Walker had a productive senior season, injuries that would plague him for a few years began during his junior season, which is the most important for many student-athletes hoping to pickup coveted scholarship offers. Walker sat and when he was a senior, earned scholarship offers from UC Davis, Cal Poly, the University of San Diego, and Hawaii. Hawaii’s offer was for a grey shirt, so Walker committed but did not sign, leaving the door cracked open to his recruitment.

A track athlete as well, Walker remembers around the time of the state track meet in May during his senior year, he began getting recruited by the Sonny Dykes staff. There was no scholarship offer, but Walker was interested. His mother was pregnant and Walker began to hedge on the Hawaii offer.

“I made the decision with my family to stay close to home,” Walker said of his ultimate decision.

Walker’s younger brother was born the day he reported to fall camp his freshman year at Cal. 

“It was a big deal for me to stay local, be around my family, and be there for my little brother,” Walker points out now, adding his brother Just turned three. “I like to be someone he can look up to. He likes football a lot because he’s always around it.”

Once at Cal, Walker began on the defensive side of the ball, first as a safety and then a nickel and dime. Then the injuries came back and both freshman and sophomore seasons, Walker was hobbled. The time gave him the opportunity to reflect and Walker believed he could contribute more on the offensive side of the ball. So he had a conversation with Head Coach Justin Wilcox.

“I felt like I’d be able to contribute more on the offensive side because I grew up playing offense,” Walker recalls.

Wilcox obliged and moved Walker to receiver. After a promising 2018 spring, Walker was hit with another injury going into fall camp his junior year. After missing the first few games, Walker healed up, got on the field during special teams plays and then earned his first start on November 10, 2018. The opponent? USC at the Coliseum in Los Angeles, the very stadium where his early football idol — Reggie Bush — played his home games. “I got my first start against USC,” Walker remembers, still beaming from the experience. “Got my first catch, too. First down, it was a crazy experience, for sure.” 

Cal would go on to squeak out a 15-14 win.

“Getting that win? That’s a football moment you’ll never forget,” Walker said.

Walker took that experience and used it as motivation for a stronger off-season heading into 2019. He began putting in extra individual workouts with the strength and conditioning staff. “I was just trying to develop as a receiver,” Walker said. “And now I feel like I’ve got a really good opportunity right now.”

Walker took his strong off-season into a productive spring and then into fall camp, where he stood out in many team and individual drills  — making many athletic catches.

And then that Saturday practice came on August 24, when Wilcox approached Walker to let him know he’d go on scholarship at Cal for the first time in his life.

“I always felt like I was that high-caliber athlete to play Division 1, Pac-12,” Walker said. “So I made that decision to come here. And I’ve never felt like a walk-on here.

“Each injury, you know, I was like, dang, that could’ve been it. But I just waited until I was healthy and I was able to show what I’ve got. And I was grateful for it. It is what I’ve been waiting for for a very long time. It’s a testament to if you stay the course, you work hard, keep your head down, and just keep pushing through, you can do anything, really.”

And now Walker is ready to put that work to on-field production.

“I’m very excited to showcase my ability. All summer long, I’ve been going against my own team. It’s behind the scenes, not many people see it. And now we get to showcase it in front of the school, the fans, and my family.”