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Post by darebelcoach on Apr 14, 2010 11:40:43 GMT -6
Guys,
I am hoping you guys can help me out and offer some insight.....I have a decent idea of the average size of most D1 positions, but more insight would help...I played D3 ball, so my numbers might be skewed....the reason I ask is because where I am the HC at, we have a lot of delusional players and parents....it is good to have hopes and dreams, but at some point, reality has to set in....there is a OL/DL kid on my team who is average at best....he has made the statement thathe will be playing D1 football after he graduates in 2011...he would be lucky to play D3...he isn't very good but he and his dad thinks he is God's gift.....he is 6'0" 294 lbs and thinks he can lose a couple pounds and play LB....anyway, sorry for rambling....my thoughts on the sizes are as follows, let me know what you think...I just want some ideas so I can discuss this at my pre-season parents meeting
OT 6'6" 320lbs 4.9 - 5.2 40s G/C 6'1 - 6'3" 300lbs
DL 6'2" - 6'4" 275 - 315lbs 4.8 - 5.0
LB 6'2" 245 - 250 4.4 - 4.6
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Post by mariner42 on Apr 14, 2010 12:30:38 GMT -6
Those #'s are more like college seniors. Most kids are lighter and slower when they enter D-I ball, except for the really freakish 5* kids.
I would just look up some D-III rosters, pull the freshman weight/heights, then some D-I rosters and do the same and compare. I know I stacked up pretty well at the D-III level, but I was smaller, slower, and lighter than equivalent D-I guys. Not by a ton, but enough.
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Post by coachks on Apr 14, 2010 12:35:30 GMT -6
And those are closer to the starters, in BCS conferences at that. Lots of walk ons and the sizes of big conference vs small conference vs D1aa vary a bit. That might be a starting Big 10 LB number, but a MAC walk on isn't going to be that big or fast.
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Post by olcoach53 on Apr 14, 2010 12:52:55 GMT -6
I dont think size is really all that important. If a kid can play then a kid can play. Also a lot of colleges are now more worried about speed than anything else. I think there are some delusional parents out there though and even some delusional coaches. I know of a few kids from my school that were told they would get big time offers and they were sub 5'10 linebackers and a 5'10 200 pound center. That just does not fly. There are those 6'2 240 pounds offensive lineman that can be a diamond in the rough though and pack on 40 pounds during a redshirt year and become a solid OG or OC. It can happen.
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Post by phantom on Apr 14, 2010 12:57:44 GMT -6
There are those 6'2 240 pounds offensive lineman that can be a diamond in the rough though and pack on 40 pounds during a redshirt year and become a solid OG or OC. It can happen. It happens but good luck getting money for that kid from a 1A program.
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Post by phantom on Apr 14, 2010 13:01:34 GMT -6
Guys, I am hoping you guys can help me out and offer some insight.....I have a decent idea of the average size of most D1 positions, but more insight would help...I played D3 ball, so my numbers might be skewed....the reason I ask is because where I am the HC at, we have a lot of delusional players and parents....it is good to have hopes and dreams, but at some point, reality has to set in....there is a OL/DL kid on my team who is average at best....he has made the statement thathe will be playing D1 football after he graduates in 2011...he would be lucky to play D3...he isn't very good but he and his dad thinks he is God's gift.....he is 6'0" 294 lbs and thinks he can lose a couple pounds and play LB....anyway, sorry for rambling....my thoughts on the sizes are as follows, let me know what you think...I just want some ideas so I can discuss this at my pre-season parents meeting OT 6'6" 320lbs 4.9 - 5.2 40s G/C 6'1 - 6'3" 300lbs DL 6'2" - 6'4" 275 - 315lbs 4.8 - 5.0 LB 6'2" 245 - 250 4.4 - 4.6 This has been driving me nuts because I've seen exactly what you're looking for posted somewhere (not Huey's, though, I think). You'll probably have to do as others have suggested. Go to 1A rosters and find the info. Google Mid American Conference and you'll get the conference web site, which has links to all member schools.
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Post by cqmiller on Apr 14, 2010 13:37:22 GMT -6
If you play against any D1 kids at all, just have them compare their kids strength and speed to that kid
If not, you can just do the eyeball test...
If they look like a full-grown man and run like a full-grown deer, then they are D1 If they do not, then they aren't
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Post by jlenwood on Apr 14, 2010 13:51:04 GMT -6
Go to rivals.yahoo.com and click on the football recruiting link. There they have a list of the top 100 prospects in the nation. You will see a couple of 5' 8" running backs, but they are all 5*.
It seems if you are not in the 6-2" and above range, you had better be lightning quick. I read in one of Gary Pattersons clinic presentations where he said all 22 of his starters are sub 5.0 speed fully padded. Throw that out to your parents and that should smack them back to reality.
I would also recommend you getting that kid to a legitimate D1 spring practice so they can see exactly how they stack up.
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Post by joezlatnik on Apr 14, 2010 14:02:48 GMT -6
I live with two D1 football players. Both will be red shirt sophomores in the fall. One is a 6'2 215 lb. QB the other is a 6'4 321 lb. OG
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Post by mariner42 on Apr 14, 2010 14:49:45 GMT -6
I would also recommend you getting that kid to a legitimate D1 spring practice so they can see exactly how they stack up. I was definitely more than a little humbled when I was invited to go to a D-I spring game and actually got down on the field with some of those dudes. It's a totally different world, I knew that I didn't belong.
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Post by bigm0073 on Apr 14, 2010 17:45:42 GMT -6
I come here today with a message and do so knowing full well that someone out there will be offended, many may argue with me, and some will even say that I am killing the dreams of kids. None of the three are my intention. Instead, my hopes are to help shape dreams and to bring alternative avenues into discussions that parents, coaches and players are having all over this state right now. My message is simple: Very, very few people reading this are future DI football players or the parents of one. Obviously, I'm incorrect if your name is Vinston Painter or Kevin Whaley or if you are the parent of Kerry Boykins, Marcus Davis or maybe up to fifty other kids in the state. But, for an overwhelming majority of you, I'm right and I'm sorry. I don't say this to squash anyone's dreams or to take away from what the players have and will accomplish on the football field. Many of you are fine high school football players, some of you are very, very good high school football players, but an even smaller number are Division I college football players. Rushing for 1,000 yards, catching 50 passes, running a 4.5 forty at a combine, and getting attention from local media whether it be television, radio, newspaper or internet likely means that you are an outstanding player. However, none of the above can get you a DI scholarship offer. Sure, each could help you achieve your dream of playing DI football (though the "pub" part is up for debate), but there are really only two things that will get you on the sidelines at Virginia, Virginia Tech, Maryland, North Carolina, etc... -- playing exceptional football in games or being an absolute physical freak. If you still believe that a DI offer is in the mail and on its way to you, consider the rest of this article to be your reality test -- few of you will pass. Who is a DI player? 1. Academic qualifiers. How are your grades? Passing high school is not enough. Have you taken the right classes, earned a minimum core grade point average AND taken the SAT or ACT tests earning satisfactory marks dependent on the NCAA's sliding scale? Have you talked with your coach and/or guidance counselor and filed the forms to the NCAA Clearinghouse? If not, stop reading. You are not a DI player and it doesn't matter if you run for 8,000 yards or throw for 20,000 this season. Colleges have to be able to get you in the door in order for you to play on the team. 2. Size matters. Taking a look at the two DI schools in the state (trust me, the numbers don't change if you add in Maryland, North Carolina and NC State), the Hokies and the Cavs signed 49 players in 2007. Here is a breakdown of the signings...
School Skill Players (QB, RB, WR, LB, DB, ATH) Trench Players (TE, OL, DL) DI from in-state Virginia 13 12 13 Virginia Tech 14 9 13 ** Note that Virginia also signed one special teams player, a kicker Of those 27 skill kids, 21 of them were over 6-feet tall, none were under 5-foot-8, and their average weight was 196 with only four of them weighing less than 180 pounds. To put it bluntly, if you are under 6-foot tall and weigh less than 180, you chances of inking with either Virginia or Virginia Tech are next to nothing unless you are a phenomenal athlete. Not just good, not just the best player on your team, maybe not even the best player in your district. You have to be special. Extremely special. Division I schools hand out very few offers for undersized kids. I'm talking two or three per year, maximum. If you're not topping 6-feet and 180 pounds, you're in a fight with hundreds of kids from across this state and others for maybe five or six spots. Kevin Whaley has a Virginia Tech offer already, so we know that one of the spots to receive offers is already taken. If you or your son is a guy who is going to be in the trenches, I've got more disturbing genetic news for you. Of the 21 trench players inked last year, none were shorter than 6-foot-1 (and that player weighs 260) and each weighed at least 211 pounds (and that guy is 6-foot-5). Note, this is their high school measurements, not what they are built like now after a year of college. The average size of a trench players signed was 6-foot-4, 263 pounds. If you are not checking in with those measurables, it might be time to dream about Norfolk State, Hampton, Old Dominion and James Madison among others. If you are significantly under those numbers, you can still find a home at Virginia State, VMI, or maybe Bridgewater or Christopher Newport. Do you measure up? 3. Speed kills. Or, more accurately, lack of speed kills. The college game is played at a much faster pace than any high school game that you have played in and the college coaches want players who run fast in every direction, not just one. Maybe your forty time is a respectable 4.6 or better, that will at least keep DI guys interested (unless you are a defensive back). However, if you cannot combine that speed with lateral quickness and an ability to play the game at a fast pace, you will again probably be looking for a home at the DI-AA, DII or DIII level. Lineman, speed matters for you too. You'll be needed out in front of the speedsters and, if you are crossing the line at 5.3, 5.4 or higher, not many DI guys are going to trust you to be leading the offensive charge on Saturdays. 4. Face-to-face. It's almost May 2007. If you are a rising senior and do not have a scholarship offer right now, that doesn't mean that your dream is dead, but you've got some work to do. It's time to have a big senior season because you can play yourself into an offer during your final year, but you are in an uphill battle. Let me further clarify what I mean by "offer". I do not mean that the coach recruiting you has said, "Son, we'd love to have you come play football at State U." I am talking about a piece of paper which is he trying to get you to sign. If you do not have that, then hopefully one of the following needs is true... • Your recruiting coach is walking into your school and asking to see you or talking to your coach about you and referring to you by name? • Your recruiting coach is trying to get you to come to the campus to meet with the Head Coach or the Head Coach is coming to your high school specifically to see you? • Your recruiter is in touch with you as often as he can be. For example, if he is allowed to contact you twice a week in May, is he? Remember, his job is not to give you an opportunity to go to college, that's a benefit. His job is to find the very best, the elite of the elite of talent. When a recruiter finds a guy like that, he'll be in contact as much as he possibly can, rather than calling once in a while to say, "What'd you think about our victory over A&M?" Getting text messages from a college recruiter, getting hand-written notes from Head Coaches and getting invited to one day camps and unofficial visits are nice, don't get me wrong, but quite honestly, those are pretty standard recruiting vehicles. Are you getting face-to-face time with your recruiter which he is initiating? So, you've made it this far because you have got good grades, your genetically gifted with either size or speed (preferably both) and your college recruiter loves talking to you and does so as often as he can. Congratulations, you are probably a DI recruit. I say 'probably' because State U might only be recruiting one linebacker this year and they have found a bigger and faster one than you in Florida, Tennessee, Ohio, or anywhere across the nation. That might just cost you a spot at your dream school. Sorry. Most, if not all, recruiters want to help you make your dream come true, but they want their dream of winning a national championship to come true too. I hope that everyone reading this gets to play college football and, those blessed enough get to play DI football. But there are alternatives. There is a college football life awaiting you somewhere, whether it be Old Dominion, Virginia State, Christopher Newport or hundreds of other programs. Go to one of them, get an education (hopefully for free), and play football for another four years. There are going to be those of you out there who think, "I am the exception" or "my son will over come the odds", and you know what? Probably one or two of you are correct, but you'll have to beat out the hundreds, maybe thousands, of others who just said that to themselves as well. It's okay to dream big, but realize that there are more paths than just DI football. Take care of your grades and the rest will fall into place as it should. See other feature articles about recruiting... The recruiting process - how does it work A family plan - how a rising senior can plan for college A realistic look at DI recruiting. Note that only 3% of high school players receive DI scholarships. Camps versus combines
I SHARE THIS WITH MY PARENTS EVERY YEAR!! THIS CAN BE VERY SOBERING TO HEAR!
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Post by rpetrie on Apr 14, 2010 19:01:38 GMT -6
I had a kid from sign a "partial" to play @ Southern Connecticut (D2). He's 6'7 355...and did have some looks from D1 schools like Temple, Syracuse & a couple of D1AA's. Some would wonder why he's not going to a bigger school. Here's why... 1. Grades...didn't do the work the right way. Didn't even play until his JR year of HS because of discipline & academic issues. Made the decision to turn things around and did...but too late to qualify for D1. Even went prep route but couldn't meet the standards. 2. Physical conditioning & work ethic...was closer to 410 when he left our school for prep, which got him down to current weight. Most felt he was a project and not sure that he would stick it out. 3. Maturity level...too much talk and self promotion.
For these reasons...the HC at Southern is giving him the opportunity to prove himself with little risk to his job. He can get away with that at a smaller school. D1 schools/staffs aren't willing to risk their position on such a gamble too often. They're spending millions of school money and better use the best measuring sticks to justify their choices.
My point being that if your undersized....you really have to stand out.
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Post by dubber on Apr 14, 2010 19:33:23 GMT -6
The mass mailings and Junior days make it worse.......
When someone says "oh, he's getting recruited by Indiana", I ask myself "at what level"? Getting a form letter from Bill Lynch with a laser printed signature is about as special as being told "You may have already won 10,000,000 dollars"
I took my little brother (he's 6'5'' 300lbs. and moves well) to a Junior day at Michigan State. There were 150 other "recruits" there.
I figured out pretty quick what they were fishing for......preferred walk-ons...........
Most of these kids were there with their starry eyed parents.
As we left I turned to Patrick and said, "Right now, there are 149 kids and their parents who think they will be getting a scholarship to MSU. . . . . .I'm going to tell you the truth----you don't have a chance in Hell, and neither do the rest of em'."
D2's are very weak in Indiana (sorry to anyone out there), so he is going to a DIII program, where he has a chance to play, and more importantly, earn a nationally respected degree.
I'm thrilled for him..........as much as if he would've gotten an athletic scholly.
And that is the sentiment parents need to harbor.
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stylee
Sophomore Member
Posts: 178
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Post by stylee on Apr 14, 2010 23:00:08 GMT -6
Jon Dwyer is going to be drafted in the first 2 rounds. He ran 4.5high, 4.6low at the Combine. Dexter McCluster, the guy last seen ripping SEC defenses to shreds? 4.58.
Maybe your forty time is a respectable 4.6 or better, that will at least keep DI guys interested (unless you are a defensive back).
Of the CBs at the Combine, none ran faster than 4.41, 15 of the 27 ran 4.50 or slower. Of the RBs timed at the Combine, only 5 ran faster than 4.50. Not only are these guys D-1 players, they are D-1 starters and NFL hopefuls.
When people say "X High School player is a 4.2 or 4.3 guy" it makes me wonder how much longer these numbers will have ANY meaning at all. Kids lie about their own times, coaches make inconsistent/inaccurate times, timing protocols vary widely from combine to after-summer-lifting-testing to backyard measuring-tape-40s, etc etc etc but it seems, in my (limited) experience that time inflation has really gone insane in the last decade (disclosure: I'm only 25) or so.
OT 6'6" 320lbs 4.9 - 5.2 40s G/C 6'1 - 6'3" 300lbs
DL 6'2" - 6'4" 275 - 315lbs 4.8 - 5.0
LB 6'2" 245 - 250 4.4 - 4.6
A D-I linebacker runs a 4.4-4.6? Of the LBs tested at the Combine, 4.54 was the fastest of the bunch. The vast majority were +4.6. About half were 4.7+. These are future NFL players.
I "interpret" 40 times by context now. I know that no one in any high school in America takes only 4.3x seconds to run 40 yards from start to finish, if we're talking about actual elapsed time. Usain Bolt - a fantastic starter, make no mistake about it - was somewhere between 4.25 and 4.35 during his WR run from the moment of the gun firing to crossing the 40 yard mark; people have gone frame by frame and used markers to determine a range about this wide for his time. Subtracting a normal reaction time and you're at about 4.15ish to 4.25ish. No HS kid is within a tenth of a second of Usain Bolt.
When someone says "Linebacker X runs a 4.4" they usually mean "Linebacker X is faster than most, if not everyone, on the field." I get that, everyone here probably gets that.
But why tell a HS kid he's going to have to run a faster 40 than everyone at his position at the NFL Combine to play D-1 ball? There are easier ways of reinforcing reality to these kids, right?
///end rant. As a track guy, I'm always extra-anal about timing and speed issues, sorry!
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Post by davecisar on Apr 15, 2010 5:17:26 GMT -6
Stylee, Im with you 100% on the 40 thing AMAZING how many "4.4" guys are 4.7 guys once they get to college Nebraska in the OSBORNE era- when they were winning all those national titles and had plenty of First rounders- one of those years the FASTEST player on the team ran a 4.55 when they did spring/winter testing. So NU with 250 kids, most being the very fastest kid on their HS team didnt have a SINGLE 4.4 kid. Some of the best HS players in the nation with a GREAT weight program and not a SINGLE player ran 4.4 !!!!! Yet there are HS kids that come from teams where they have two 4.4 kids on the same team, yeah right. When I hear guys talking about sophs running 4.4s Im wondering why the kid's not even running sub 11 100s or trying for Olympic gold instead of slogging it out on the footbal field- pet peeve of mine. 40 times are the most innacurrate and lied about thing in the US, they have passed "the one that got away" or "the fish was X big" as the national lie.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Apr 15, 2010 6:20:22 GMT -6
Yet it continues to be one of the major measuring sticks that people use to compare potential in players...
We have to use these terms (whether we believe they are valid or not) because numbers don't lie in most people's eyes. A kid's playing ability (or lack of) is subjective to most outside of the game- there are too many "outs" available to blame a kid's lack of performance on someone else. "Coach didn't play me...he played the favorite" "They don't throw me the ball" "I was played out of position" "Coach sucks"
All excuses I've heard as to why a kid is not going to get a scholarship...and all bogus.
I don't even humor them with the size and speed talks. I turn straight to performance.
A) Are you academically eligible for that level? B) Do you dominate our competition? C) Have D1 position coaches, coordinators, or Head Coaches actually contacted you (and mass mailings don't count) with handwritten letters or in person?
If you answer no to any of the above you're not getting a scholarship. Sorry.
This area is a little better than my last stop with the "street agents" telling mediocre HS ball players that they are going pro. Here, the biggest culprit is ignorance- the town/area doesn't see too many D1 guys actually play, so they have no idea what it looks like when one of these beasts decide to pummel our average football teams.
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stylee
Sophomore Member
Posts: 178
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Post by stylee on Apr 15, 2010 6:41:31 GMT -6
Good call, Coach Dave, about NU. AND the 100 thing. If you're a "4.4 guy", you're not a 12.1 guy. It just doesn't work that way.
Whitemike - I agree that there is a real misunderstanding about the kind of HS player who is going to be playing for Big State next fall. Exaggerated measurables might be one way to combat that, but I'd prefer your approach. "Do you dominate?" is nice and blunt.
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Post by WolvesHC on Apr 15, 2010 7:25:15 GMT -6
My advice would be to have those juniors who want to play in college attend recruiting camps over the summer.
I played LB at D3 level and was fortunate to start 3 years. I was 5'10" 205 lbs and ran a 4.9 (definitely not D1 stats). I thought I was pretty good and may have a shot to play at a small D1 school. I went to a camp the summer before Sr. year and was shocked by the caliber of athletes there. My LB group included LaVarr Arrington and Ron Graham (started at LB for PSU as well). I knew after that camp I was D2 at best and how truly special you must be to play at D1 level. I turned down a few D2 offers because I thought D3 would be the best situation for me. It was a very humbling experience and I am thankful I went to the camp.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Apr 15, 2010 9:36:55 GMT -6
Whitemike - I agree that there is a real misunderstanding about the kind of HS player who is going to be playing for Big State next fall. Exaggerated measurables might be one way to combat that, but I'd prefer your approach. "Do you dominate?" is nice and blunt. I played D3 and we had some dudes that swore they would get tryouts with teams. Althoug the Vikings, Panthers, Green Bay, and another team (i forget) worked us out at our place in the spring of our senior year, we were told that a couple of things had to happen for us to make the league- 1) had to fit the mold (basically size & speed) 2) Did you dominate the competition at your level? 3) Do well in the all-star games? If I didn't absolutely man-handle every defensive player I saw at the D3 level then how can they assume I'm better than Florida State's backup center who never played but saw that competition day-in-day-out? It made sense to me, and I kinda adopted the policy since then. If you play like a turd, run like a turd, then no amount of coaching will change the fact that you're a turd.
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Post by rystaylo on Apr 15, 2010 10:34:23 GMT -6
Just to let you know, Dexter McCluster ran for several pro teams at my high school and he consistently ran in the low 4.4s and high 4.3s
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Apr 15, 2010 10:42:23 GMT -6
Another problem with 40's is hand-timed vs gate-timed vs. FAT track timing. WAY different number from all...
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Post by mattharris75 on Apr 15, 2010 11:00:48 GMT -6
Jon Dwyer is going to be drafted in the first 2 rounds. He ran 4.5high, 4.6low at the Combine. Dexter McCluster, the guy last seen ripping SEC defenses to shreds? 4.58. Maybe your forty time is a respectable 4.6 or better, that will at least keep DI guys interested (unless you are a defensive back).I hear you. If it's not laser timed it's garbage. The second fastest kid on our team timed a 4.76 on the laser at a Nike camp last month. He's the kid most opposing coaches are telling their players that he runs a '4.5', which seems to be the theoretical standard around here for a 'fast' kid. The fastest kid on our team would maybe time in the mid 4.6's on a laser and he ran down an all-state tailback last year who ran a 4.4 according to all the players and fans. Gimme a break people! Fast is fast, quit lying about it or exaggerating it. If the kid runs away from competition on the field, that's what matters!
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Post by darebelcoach on Apr 15, 2010 11:12:00 GMT -6
I appreciate all the info and responses....like I said, I am all for players having hopes and dreams and aspirations....but at some point, the parents and player needs to grasp reality......
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Post by phantom on Apr 15, 2010 11:55:16 GMT -6
[quote author=mattharris75 board=general thread=37853 post=367843 time=1271350848Gimme a break people! Fast is fast, quit lying about it or exaggerating it. If the kid runs away from competition on the field, that's what matters![/quote]
Only if they know how fast the competition is.
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Post by bigm0073 on Apr 15, 2010 12:07:20 GMT -6
D 1A football players are born and not made... If you are some 5'11" 210 pound high school football player and you can not even jump up and touch the rim on the basketball court... Well you are what you are...
Like other coaches have said - You had BETTER dominate the competition.
I have coached against D-IA skill players over the years... These guys are just plain scary. WHen they touch the ball you just hold your breath and PRAY someone will tackle him... It is the worst feeling to watch your team have him bottled up and like houdini he goes 80 yards for a TD.
Your hi-light tape better have fast, explosive plays. You better not have 5 yard gains on power on your tape (Hell my fat azz will get five yards on power just falling forward).
As one college coach said - When they put your tape in they better go "DAMN!!" "Did you see that!!" Get the all of the coaches in hear and watch this!!!
That was a coach at a D-2 and D-3 school... These schools don't want to see "slop" on tape.. Imagine what the big schools want.
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Post by tothehouse on Apr 15, 2010 13:04:59 GMT -6
bigmo - I disagree with your "D1A players are born and not made" to a degree. In 2003 our HS played a sophomore kid at corner. 5'7"155 lbs. Nothing special, but played varsity for us...which is somewhat rare at our place. As a junior he wasn't much heavier, but made plays. As a senior he was 5'10 180. Utah State took a "chance" on him. 5 years later he was a 4 year starter and has had numerous NFL teams contacting him this week....yes, he has a shot at getting drafted into the league. His name, James Brindley. Read this article to see how his pro day went. www.nfldraftbible.com/Combine-Results-2010/My point is....this kid was the scrawny, scrappy type. Nobody, nowhere would say that he was D1a material, let alone NFL. His dad is maybe 5'7" and his mom is shorter. To say he was born and not made...would be inaccurate. You might be correct in a lot of cases though.
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Post by phantom on Apr 15, 2010 17:02:13 GMT -6
bigmo - I disagree with your "D1A players are born and not made" to a degree. In 2003 our HS played a sophomore kid at corner. 5'7"155 lbs. Nothing special, but played varsity for us...which is somewhat rare at our place. As a junior he wasn't much heavier, but made plays. As a senior he was 5'10 180. Utah State took a "chance" on him. 5 years later he was a 4 year starter and has had numerous NFL teams contacting him this week....yes, he has a shot at getting drafted into the league. His name, James Brindley. Read this article to see how his pro day went. www.nfldraftbible.com/Combine-Results-2010/My point is....this kid was the scrawny, scrappy type. Nobody, nowhere would say that he was D1a material, let alone NFL. His dad is maybe 5'7" and his mom is shorter. To say he was born and not made...would be inaccurate. You might be correct in a lot of cases though. Sorry, I'm with Big M on this one. He may not have been born big enough to be a D.1 player but it was genetics that made him fast enough and allowed him to grow into the part.
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Post by tothehouse on Apr 15, 2010 17:46:19 GMT -6
Okay....so if he doesn't lift weights and speed train....would he have just been chosen because of his genetics? That is what I'm saying...sure genetics played a part....the other stuff was MADE. He made himself in the weight room. He made himself on the field. He made himself on the track. He has a twin brother who was a pretty good player. Career was done after high school (like most everyone else).
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Post by phantom on Apr 15, 2010 17:59:49 GMT -6
Okay....so if he doesn't lift weights and speed train....would he have just been chosen because of his genetics? That is what I'm saying...sure genetics played a part....the other stuff was MADE. He made himself in the weight room. He made himself on the field. He made himself on the track. He has a twin brother who was a pretty good player. Career was done after high school (like most everyone else). Didn't mean to imply that he didn't work for what he got. If he didn't have the genetic makeup he wouldn't have necome a D.1 athlete, though, no matter how hard he worked.
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Post by mariner42 on Apr 15, 2010 19:34:44 GMT -6
There's a genetic component that says how tall you are and what your frame might look like, i.e. long arms or small hands or heart murmur, but after birth, it's all what you do with what you've got. You might have an advantage because you have exceptional levers because you're 6'4, but it don't mean squat without the necessary work done. So, I also disagree about the 'born not made'. We're given a physical profile, but what we do with it determines a lot more about our careers, etc.
This has been proven pretty thoroughly by Gladwell, Geoffrey Colvin, Daniel Coyle. To me, barring those who are born on the low end of the physical spectrum for their positions (5'6 CBs, 5'11 OL, etc), the more important determiners are focus, resolve, and (relevant) time on task (weights, film study, etc). I'd wager the significant majority of D-I players separate themselves because of their work done, which is a more telling characteristic than physique and more difficult to explain than genetics. This isn't meant to downplay the importance of genetics to the point of being irrelevant, I just think that a D-I work ethic is even more rare and more revealing of a player's chances to make it or not.
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