football 40's redux

[jhc68]

Flipping on ESPN this morning I heard a football talking-head reporting breathlessly the latest 40 yard times at the pro-football combine. He kept emphasizing, though, that the times were "unofficial" ones, as opposed, I guess, to the "official" times to be announced later. After judges review and reading the finish photos??? LOL

[guru]

It's not as bad as you might think. They use the SpeedTrap system, with a pressure pad to start the clock, and an electronic eyebeam at the 40 to stop it(as well as beams at every 10 yards). I have one myself for practice, and it is the next best thing to FAT.

[jhc68]

That explains why the fastest times are now in the 4.4+ range rather than the low 4.2 range that prevailed a few years back.

[Texas]

The only postion where a 40 time actually matters is at cornerback. Yes you better have some make up speed there.

[Marlow]

The only postion where a 40 time actually matters is at cornerback. Yes you better have some make up speed there.

Safeties have it worse. They often have to get from mid-field to the sideline in the time the ball is in the air.

[Texas]

The only postion where a 40 time actually matters is at cornerback. Yes you better have some make up speed there.

Safeties have it worse. They often have to get from mid-field to the sideline in the time the ball is in the air.

It's not a safety who is going to be one on one with their speed receiver. All cornerbacks are going to get beat., It's all about what they can do with the ball in the air.

[Marlow]

All cornerbacks are going to get beat

which why safeties better get there in a hurry.

[Texas]

All cornerbacks are going to get beat

which why safeties better get there in a hurry.

I can't think of one speedster at safety, how about you?

sprinter cornerbacks...

Lenny Lyles...Lousville/Colts
James Trapp..Clemson/Raiders
Deion Sanders...FSU/pick one
Stanford Routt..Houston/Raiders
Darrel Green...Texas A&I/Redskins
Leslie "Speedy" Duncan...Jackson State/Chargers
Rod Woodson....Purdue/pick one
Terry McDaneil....Tennessee/Raiders
Rod Jones....SMU/Bengals
Johnny Thomas...Baylor/Redskins
Virgil Livers...Western Mich/Bears
Mel Renfro....Oregon/Cowboys

[Marlow]

I can't think of one speedster at safety, how about you?

That's because safeties are bigger and heavier, better to punish receivers who trespass on their turf. They don't need the first-step speed of a corner, but they better have the top end or they won't be in the league long.

[Marlow]

Texas, you'll find this of interest. I was perusing the current NFL combine results and saw the 40 times. These are electronic times approx .2 seconds faster than our FAT times, because they don't take into consideration reaction to the gun, or lifting the hand off the track. They are .2 seconds slower than the old Football 40 times, because the timer's reaction to the start has been eliminated.

Corners

Webb, Lardarius 4.46
Davis, Vontae 4.49
Hughes, Brandon 4.50
Owens, Christopher 4.51
Barnes, Kevin 4.52

but notice that the safeties are faster, or at least as fast.

safeties

Clemons, Chris 4.41
Bruton, David 4.46
Spillman, C.J. 4.50
Vaughn, Chip 4.51
Martin, Sherrod 4.52

and the receivers are fastest of all

Heyward-Bey, Darrius 4.30 (certainly a 4.1 by the old standards)
Wallace, Mike 4.33
Knox, Johnny 4.34
Butler, Deon 4.38
Thomas, Mike 4.40

[jazzcyclist]

What gets me is that you always hear football coaches make the distinction between football speed and track speed, but when they measure speed at the NFL combine, they let the guys dress like they're competing in a track meet instead of a football game. As a matter of fact, the Lycra outfits that they wear are probably more aerodynamic than what Usain Bolt wore in the Olympics.

[no one]

how is the start managed - does timing start when the guy stars or is there another system. running when ready and on their own - would be different than a starting device of some kind (gun)

[Marlow]

how is the start managed - does timing start when the guy stars or is there another system. running when ready and on their own - would be different than a starting device of some kind (gun)

As noted before, the clock starts when he lifts his hand off the starting pad and is stopped by breaking a light beam.

[no one]

so is that system 'universal' ... and are times produced considered valid when compared to track times? - guess that was answered above. But is there true measure(s) across the board. Doesn't seem like it - but getting closer???

[steve]

(double post)