Adding Bad Weight Adds Nothing
6 comments so far
April 9, 2008 by
Last summer, I wrote enthusiastically about the weight defensive end Barry Turner added going into the 2007 season. It was wishful thinking to believe it was all good weight and if anything it appeared to be a hindrance rather than an asset for Turner. The same was true all over Nebraska’s roster as a number of players were sporting beefy weight numbers.
But the new coaching staff has gotten players to shed what was essentially dead weight, even if it means being undersized for their position. What’s the point of being bigger if you can’t move? It remains to be seen whether the staff has simply fixed the conditioning issues of the Callahan era or whether there’s truly been a return to the 1990’s level of conditioning.
If you’ve re-watched the glorious Fiesta Bowl win over Florida as often as I have, you no doubt recall announcer (and former UCLA head coach) Terry Donahue gushing about how the Huskers had a three-deep of offensive lineman that went a lean 300-lbs. Try to recall a fat player in the glory years – you can’t do it. But somewhere after Osborne departed, you started to see flab. I recall thinking that Jason Schwab looked a little doughy, then I saw Dan Vili Waldrop and realized that something had really changed. Since that time, there have been a lot more bellies sticking out on players. A lineman is one thing, but Harrison Beck?
When the coaches talk about culture, a vital part of that is buying into the nutrition and conditioning programs. You can recall stories of Grant Wistrom and Jason Peter running players until they puke. It may require that kind of leadership and policing by the players to get these kids to stop phoning in the conditioning and to really get serious and that stems from a culture that fosters that kind of leadership.
As much as I’ve bemoaned former players like Demoine Adams being seemingly too small for their position, it wouldn’t have helped him or Nebraska one bit if he’d added 20 pounds of bad weight. Coach Pelini has shown he doesn’t need the prototype bodies to get production. Who can forget his use of the 215 lbs. Demorrio Williams at defensive end (that’s 35 pounds less than Adams weighed as a senior, for the record).
Sure you’d love to have an Adam Carriker or Carlos Polk at defensive end or middle linebacker, but the Huskers have done it with much smaller guys like Dwayne Harris and Phil Ellis. Size isn’t everything and the Huskers once again has a coaching staff that understands that.
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doombob Apr 09 08
I hope you don't mind if I get a little football physics going here. Momentum and Force are important factors on the football field. Momentum is mass multiplied by velocity (in this case speed). Force is mass times acceleration. Mass (in this case) is the weight of the body flying at you. In this case, we have a 310 pound lineman running a 5.3s 40 that has around 966 kg*m/s of momentum. We also have a 295 pound lineman running a 5s 40 with around 978 kg*m/s. So as you can see, you've increased your momentum. Assuming a linear acceleration of the runners in a 40 yard dash, you receive 403 N (Newtons=kg*m/s/s) for the 310 pound lineman and 430 N for the 295 pound lineman. I've simplified (and underestimated) things but I just hope I didn't embarrass Football Physics guru Dr. Tim Gay.
OU7times Apr 09 08
Doombob, do you work for NASA, by chance? Heh,heh.
donfl Apr 09 08
doombob, I appreciate your attempt to provide an analogy based on the laws of physics. I must point out to you however, that your assumptions are simplistic at best. If you are a student of physics you must have studied the Newtonian principle that states for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. ie. that means that for your postulate to have meaning it must be assumed that the counteracting force in the first postulate exceeds the intial force and that the counteracting force in the second is less. Neither of these is true in the strict sense of the forces of physics. So how do we resolve this dilemma that would says, based on mass, velocity and ecceleration at STP we should expect equal and opposite reactions, (ignoring friction, wind resistance, etc)? The real key is the Delta! Can we provide an impact that is in excess of the impact of the opponent? If we can, than we are able to overcome the equal and opposite reaction by introducing another factor and that is movement. The laws of physics are clear in that if these forces are not equal and opposite than movement must occur. I believe that is the goal of the BO, move the opponent back and we will succeed. GBR
Greg Morrow Apr 09 08
As the saying goes- "you have to carry what you pack." And if you're always in a major hurry like our players....
It's position specific of course, with body fat, but I'm still a little dumbfounded by reports that guys weren't getting it done under Kennedy's supervision. But, like a lot of people, if you're confused and don't know where you stand with your coaches, you go with the simple comforts- like comfort food.
Wistrom now, was the embodiment of "agile and hostile." Even as a frosh and soph, that was a rough and ready 6'-5" 225. If he goes to Missouri or somewhere instead, it might have impacted a game or two, during the run. As you mention Steve, the peer pressure represented by guys like him and "Peterbuilt" could have accounted for that last, little, extra. Like a frosh diving for an "accidently" kicked ball, in the endzone. Or a quarterback refusing to be tackled.
doombob Apr 10 08
Sorry, they don't release charts of velocity over time for 40 yard dashes. I don't know how fast a player is at each moment of running, so I can't tell you what the delta of the momentum is. Football Physics on the jumbo tron found that some of the bigger "pops" had almost 2/3 ton of force, just taking into account the force at the moment before impact. I said nothing of impacting other players, and if I had, I would have assumed a stationary player and indicated the number of seconds before said opponent was lying on their back crying in pain.
Bill in Iowa Apr 10 08
Look what you created here Steve, Physics 101. Well, I didn't take Physics but let me offer a basic formula. Bo Ball + Wizzard of Oz + NU Tradition + New (new since 2004)Strength and Conditioning Philosophy = some serious kick but Big Red Football!
Seriously, this is just another philosophy I like. It's more important to move well and be a little light for your position, than to be heavy and slow. Of course, the optimum is to be big and quick. On both sides of the ball last year, we looked very slow...especially on defense. I'm excited to think this year we are really going to have a lot of speedy guys flying around creating havoc!