Football 40-yard times

[BillVol]

Most track fans know that football 40y times are inflated. T&FN touches on this from time to time. But I wonder what these guys really run?

When timing their athletes, I believe football coaches start their watches when a guy lifts his arm out of his three-point stance. If a track person started timing him at that point and and then had an accurate time at the finish, I wonder what the time of a supposed 4.3 sprinter would really be?

Also, any ideas what top sprinters would run for 40 yards? Times for 40 yards *during* a 100m race have been written about, but you'd have to think that a sprinter's 40y time would be a little faster if he were running *only* 40 yards.

Just looking for some ammo for the football board I frequent. ;-)

[luv2run]

Re: Football 40-yard times

1) 40y times even in football are silly since rarely does a player run 40y in a straight line.
2) I think you are correct in terms of how the timing occurs, but it really does not matter as long as everyone is timed the same way.
3) If track guys want to make a big deal about being faster, then I propose a sprinter and a WR race each other and then they each have to run a route, catch a ball and take a hit from a free safety or linebacker.

Many track guys have tried to play football and Bob Hayes (who did both in college) is one of the few successes at both. Willie Gault was close; Herschel Walker never really made it as a track guy (although he did as a bobsledder!).

[Guest]

Re: Football 40-yard times

You make good points. Wasn't 'sure first ballot hall-of-famer' Rod Woodson an accomplished hurdler? I believe he finished high in the trials and certainly is accomplished on the field. I'm sure there are others but he was the first that came to mind as outstanding in each sport.

[Guest]

Re: Football 40-yard times

Don't forget Jim Thorpe

[Arnie]

Re: Football 40-yard times

If your going to use Burt Lancasters name at least spell it right.

[vaulter83]

Re: Football 40-yard times

Take Marcus Trufant for example. Drafted in first round by Seahawks this year. He was a senior at a HS in my league when I was a freshman. Remember competing against him. He consistently ran 10.9h (everybody runs 10.9 in high school right?) in the 100 and ended up at 47+ TJ. But his 40 time from this year is listed as 4.38. That seems pretty quick for a guy who only ran 10.9h in HS. Either gotten a lot faster or never came close to his potential on the track.

[Guest]

Re: Football 40-yard times

What kills me the most is the listing of times in hundredths.

They're hand-timed, for crissake!

[vaulter83]

Re: Football 40-yard times

Depends. I have seen footballers using electronic timing. But I would take most of them only to the tenth.

[Guest]

Re: Football 40-yard times

If the timing method is start your watch when they lift the hand, that means you've removed the reaction time of hthe athlete right off the top, so theres a 10th gained.

Figure also that the timers are so eager to get it right that they anticpate to the max and click theminute the guy hits the line, sted of actually reacting to his getting there. So there's as much as another 0.3 there.

So, easy to posit that a "4.3" is really a 4.7 in terms of what a true track situation would generate. And we won't even talk abou the silliness of using hand watches to give 100th-second timing!

[Guest]

Re: Football 40-yard times

>What kills me the most is the listing of times in
>hundredths.

They're hand-timed, for
>crissake!

I'm surprised at this. As sophisticated as the NFL Combines are, you would think that the $5 Billion NFL would have automatic timing.

Having said that, I still think Darrell Green's 4.2's and 4.3's are legitimate. And he's doing the 40 on his way to Canton. Peace.

[Brutal]

Re: Football 40-yard times

Back in the day the Kansas Cith Cheifs had a kick returner from Tennesseee St named Nolan Smith all 5-6 150 lbs of him. He supposely ran a hand timed 4.1 40.

Renaldo Nehemiah was also said to have ran a hand timed 4.1 for a workout with the Niners. Why would anyone need a 40 time from a world class hurdler/sprinter?

Bullet Bob Hayes however shows nothing faster than a 4.4 40....what he would have lost to Nolan Smith in a 40? Remember he was a 5.9wr holder in the 60 yard.

Football is actually all about "quicks" and being able to stop and start and manuever while rumnning at near full speed something a lot of track guys can't do.

I seriously doubt Barry Sanders was any faster than 4.4 in the 40 he however looked like a blaze. He had some serious "quicks!"

Here ya go the all time NFL 40....in my opinion.

lane

1.Willie Gault...Bears
2.Ron Brown...Rams
3.Cliff Branch...Raiders
4.Bob Hayes....Cowboys
5.Sam Graddy.....Raiders
6.Jimmy Hines.....Dolphins
7.Darrel Greene...Redskins
8.Phil Epps....Packers
9.Johnny Jones...Jets

[tracknut]

Re: Football 40-yard times

Brutal,

Don;t Forget Mark Duper (NCAA relay finalist), James Trapp NCAA finalist 100 m,Travis Hannah and Curtis Conway NCAA finalists 1992 4 x 400 with Quincy Watts, Michael Bates 1992 bronze medalist who put training camp with Carolina on hold for Barcelona. The forty is a measurement for ACCELERATION not speed. Consider "Rocket" Ismail for then Notre Dame who ran a 10.65 at MSAC later that academic year after he made the cover of SI for his gridiron prowess.

[Brutal]

Re: Football 40-yard times

Hahaha....I hear ya!

Well then let's add...

Ray Norton
Frank Budd
Ollie Matson
Travis Williams
Homer Jones
Isacc Curtis
JD Hill
OJ Simpson
Earl McCulloch
Mel Gray
Willie McGee
John Roderick
Henry Carr
Richmond Flowers
Jerry Tarr
Cecil Turner
Gerald Tinker
Larry Burton
Herkie Walls
Vince Courville
Curtis Dickey
Len Willis
Harold Jackson
Joe Delaney....a teammate of Dupers.
Clarence Childs
Butch Woolfolk

All those listed were 9.4 guys or faster in the 100 yards. I'd say all could cook a 4.5 40.

[luv2run]

Re: Football 40-yard times

>Take Marcus Trufant for example. Drafted in
>first round by Seahawks this year. He was a
>senior at a HS in my league when I was a
>freshman. Remember competing against him. He
>consistently ran 10.9h (everybody runs 10.9 in
>high school right?) in the 100 and ended up at
>47+ TJ. But his 40 time from this year is listed
>as 4.38. That seems pretty quick for a guy who
>only ran 10.9h in HS. Either gotten a lot faster
>or never came close to his potential on the
>track.

Considering he went to college and got involved in a very good strength and conditioning program and the timing is different (eliminating the delay), then I am not surprised that he got faster. In fact, that is exactly what SHOULD happen.

[Guest]

Re: Football 40-yard times

When I was in college running the 110HH and doing the jumping events, the coach decided that one day he was going to time us in the 40 using the ACUTRACK timer. The football team got wind of this and decided that they would come and show us track guys who was really the fastest.


Turns out all of those guys that ran 4.2 and 4.3 hand timed 40s, really ran 4.5 and 4.7 on the ACUTRACK machine. The fastedst time that day went to our 100 meter guy who clocked in at a 4.4. His top tiem in the 100m was 10.20.

I don't put any faith in 40 times.