Ohio Pete

rivals says he runs a 4.63.....

4.63 number was from the US Army National Combine at which he had the 3rd fastest 40. He also had vertical leap of 35" at the event which tied for top 10. A lot of the top athletes do not have 40s listed which likely means they ran and were disappointed with the slow track so they chose to not have the time reported.

It has been this staffs MO to not encourage that type of spur-of-the-moment decision. Obviously the Nebraska kids (and maybe Dylan Admire) are different, but guys from other States who get caught up in the moment and try to commit have been told to take some time to think it over. So I wouldn't expect too much this weekend but maybe a few within a week.

What would help the Rams the most is trading that first pick for a first and a second, or a pick and a player. More and more I'm beginning to believe they'll trade that pick to increase the overall value of their draft.

Yeah that would help the Rams, but which team is going to give them 2 players for the right to pay one player $40 million dollars? Basically the pay scale for the top picks is broken right now, and that's why you rarely see those picks swapped. Too much of the team's salary cap number gets tied up in one guy and if that guy isn't a QB or a OT, they're screwed.

The other scenarios:

- They take Suh, stink again and get Jake Locker next year. (This gives them the 2 best players, but also costs the most money.)

- Draft a QB and get a DT at the top of the 2nd round in a draft that is loaded with DTs (another reason no one's trading up).

I could see them going either way, but drafting entirely on need and giving a mid 1st round talent (Bradford or Clausen) #1 pick money is going to bite them in the end.

Good grief, Too Tall Jones was 6'9". The tallest players currently in the NFL are around 6'9". Quite correct to note that any growth jeopardizes his chance of playing football much longer.

They might as well. My guess is that it would be as accurate if not more accurate than a coach standing on a track with a stopwatch. Most high school coaches want to see their players get to the next level. Therefore, it's been known to happen to see an embellishment or two with regards to size and speed.

The time listed is whatever the kid reported. They could literally tell them anything.

However, there are several combines and camps at which many players get their time record electronically. You can find this information for a lot of kids. Here's NIKE Combines pitch:

Nike Football Combines are free and open to Class of 2011 and top underclassmen high school football players looking to showcase their skills. Alumni of the combines include NFL stars Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona Cardinals), Devin Hester (Chicago Bears) and Haloti Ngata (Baltimore Ravens) as well as thousands more who have gone on to play Division I college football.

 

Attending one of the Nike Football Combines gives each athlete the opportunity to get professionally SPARQ tested so they will have a starting base to improve upon. SPARQ stands for speed, power, agility, reaction and quickness. The rating comes from a series of sport-specific tests and gives athletes a chance to see their strengths and weaknesses. They'll also have a chance to see other elite players in their class, which will give them an idea of where they stand.

It would be nice to have a Big XII channel like the Little 11 has...I know I would pay to get it!!!!

It is amazing they haven't pulled this off yet. I get that there aren't as many TV screens, but I think it would be a more popular add outside of the Big 12 than the Big 10 network is.

Is Lee even playing this Spring?

Not according to this:

Q: What do you want to accomplish with the quarterbacks this spring? Will Zac be involved at all?

A: Zac won't be there at all. He'll get back in the mix later. Nobody has the starting job. In our program, as you know, you have to earn it all the time. What that does do is give Cody Green, Kody Spano, Taylor Martinez and the other guys a chance to show themselves. I expect it to be a very productive spring. We'll find out a lot.

So yeah, green jerseys will be off this Spring because no one has proven anything, but lets not read too much into that.

I think it is more of the academic/research limitations of UNL than athletics that will keep the Big 10 from calling. I'm not sure if this is valid, just what I hear when this topic is discussed.

This has been widely mis-reported (Northwestern grads). The Big 10 is largely made up of graduate research institutions. UNL fits in quite well.

It's actually Notre Dame which does not meet the academic profile (but the Big Televen will compromise their principles for that cash).

And another thing, a lot of the speculation has been based on adding a team in a population center which the reporters believe would get the Big 10 Network channel added to the base package on the local cable channels. Well, the Big 10 Network had trouble getting added to the base package in Columbus, Ohio. Why the heck would St. Louis and Kansas City be slam dunks if Missouri was added?

I think the correct way to do this is...

 

[*]Get the final Rivals rankings for all 119 D1 schools since 2000

[*]Get Sagarin's final rankings (takes into account strength of schedule) since 2002/2003.

[*]Stagger the rankings 2 years (maybe 3) and use a 3 year rolling average.

 

Then you will be able to see who "coaches up" players and those that under achieve.

Yup. Strength of schedule. Lag time. Without these the Sporting News analysis is weak. Then again it would have taken the writer more than a couple of hours to put together a decent analysis. Instead of what he actually produced, which is pretty much worthless.

Or he could have looked at the spreadsheet I posted here 2 years ago with the same information. Why Rivals and Scout don't just have something like that easily available I have no idea.

I expect the offense to reflect the talents of the QB who is operating it. If it doesn't it might be time to re-evaluate just exactly what we are doing. In the late 90s Tenn competed for a national championship with drop-back QB (Manning) and won one with a dual threat guy (Tee Martin) so this thought that we have to have a certain type of QB is flawed.

Sounds like there are some issues between the helmet and chin strap. (There are also some issues in Miami.) I wouldn't be surprised to see him re-surface at KSU.

Seems like you could go to a good used book store (Antiquarian in Omaha) or search online (eBay?) for the old recruiting newsletters and magazines. Good luck.

The reasoning may be faulty. He says he expects them to be on the field together for the Wildcat, but I think T Mart takes those wildcat snaps next year.

I'm pretty happy Tim Griffin is no longer running the Big X11 blog on ESPN. Yippie!!!

:

After last season, Nebraska coach Bo Pelini said the Huskers could be five times better in 2010. That's hard to believe, but I'd rate them as the team to beat in the Big 12.

Anytime you have a 5'11" WR with 4.85 speed fall into your lap you got to take him.

As far as bias, he had Texas guys jumping all over him for linking to an article which noted that Texas didn't recruit Seantrel Henderson. Apparently they're a little sensitive down there.

I think Tim's been a responsible reporter. Everyone has biases and nobody's perfect, but Tim's always struck a even tone and done a good job of covering Big 12 Football, frequently linking good articles on all the different teams.

I think he was far better than the usual Mark May/Lou Holtz crap.

 

We should know the picture with Texas running backs better at the end of February and beginning of March.

Here is a pretty decent article on Texas' needs for 2011:

http://www.statesman.com/sports/longhorns/early-look-at-horns-recruiting-needs-for-2011-214879.html

Basically 1-2 RBs and a lot of OL and S.

He apparently now has interest from Alabama and Michigan as well, which tells me he may be worth looking into.

Did the Rivals story have much more to add?

Hell; within the first week of moving their I randomly hooked up with Danika Mckellar (Winnie Cooper from the Wonder Years) after meeting her at a club in Hollywood; talk about a total mind F*** (you would understand if you grew up watching the show as I did).

Pics or it didn't happen

Well?

Football: Speed, strength makeup Chaminade's Standard

Sophomore tailback is the Red Devils top offensive weapon

 

By David Kvidahl

Tuesday, November 4, 2008 3:50 PM CST

 

Rob Standard will embarrass you.

 

He'll leave you grabbing at air. He'll shake you out of your jock strap. He'll leave you wondering "what was that red blur?"

 

He's a Ferrari. You're a Gremlin.

 

He's a fighter jet. You've got the Wright brothers pedaling.

 

Standard, the sophomore running back for the Chaminade football team, is one of the most remarkable young athletes in St. Louis.

 

This season, Standard has rushed for 2,226 yards and 28 touchdowns. He's carried the ball a whopping 255 times for an average of almost nine yards per carry.

 

Tonight, another opponent will get a taste of Standard, as Chaminade (7-3) hosts Jackson (5-5) at 7 p.m. in a Class 5 regional matchup. The winner of tonight's game will play at Parkway North (8-2) on Monday.

 

Chaminade is in the playoffs because of what Standard brings to the offense. He's elusive enough to make a defender miss, speedy enough to blow by tacklers in the open field and patient enough to allow the play to develop. Everyone on the Red Devil offense blocks. Whether it's the offensive line, senior fullback Trevor LaBarge or the wide receivers down field, everyone gets a man and locks them up, so Standard can do what he does best.

 

"My coach is teaching me patience to let the blocks develop," Standard said.

 

While the 16-year-old is elusive and speedy, he's not shy about dropping a shoulder when needed.

 

"I want to show (tacklers), I'm 5-10, 165," he said. "I can get big with you."

 

Chaminade coach Doug Taylor says while you might see Standard's speed and quickness, it's his toughness that shines through.

 

"When he gets popped, he hops right back up and is in the huddle," Taylor said. "He's not going to show you that you hurt him. That's a huge edge for him."

 

Standard spent the summer focusing on football. He said his offseason was devoted to getting faster, stronger and harder to tackle. He spent an inordinate amount of time getting his footwork down, so the incredible dance he does against a defense looks so easy.

 

"In the summer, I worked on my cutbacks every day," he said. "Every day, I trained. It pays off when you work hard."

 

Standard says part of the reason he put so much time in during the summer was the excellence of Tim Clark. Clark graduated in the spring, but spent his senior fall toting the load for the Red Devils. Standard watched up close and personal as Clark put in the time.

 

"His cuts were unbelievable," Standard said.

 

With Clark, a natural leader, lost to graduation, Standard knew his role would be much bigger this season. He's spent every day since attempting to do what he can to follow Clark's example.

 

"I want to be the best after him," he said. "I had to be ready this season. Those are big shoes to fill."

 

The Red Devils rely on Standard for a lot. He's their single best way to move the football and the other teams know it. The fact he continue to be able to move the football when the other team knows what's coming is a tribute to Standard's ability, but also the other 10 guys on the offense doing their jobs. The Red Devils are loaded with seniors this season, including the entire offensive line.

 

Chaminade takes pride in its ability to wear its opponent down as the game goes along. As the Red Devils continue to pound on the other team, Standard's job is made easier.

 

"The other team comes out hard in the first half," he said. "In the second half, I can feel the defense getting softer. That makes us come out harder."

 

Taylor expects Jackson to bring a similar game plan to tonight's game. The Indians like to pound the football with their big, strong offensive line.

 

"They're very big and they like to run the ball," Taylor said. "I'm looking forward to this kind of game."

 

Tonight, Jackson gets a first-hand look at Standard. Win or lose, when the game is over, let's hope the visitors don't forget their jock straps.

UT won't offer him. They always sign to top rivals guys. Malcom will be their #1 guy because he's got the big size and they have had a lot of success with the big backs in their system (Reggi Williams, Cedric Benson, etc.)

Well they don't really run that system anymore. Jamaal Charles was the last UT back to get 1000 yards rushing. I'm not sure he was a big back: 5'11" 199 is what nfl.com lists him at. Chris Whaley was big, but the guys before and after him are all over the map.

I think at this point they're taking the best they can get because their rushing attack has been pretty anemic the last few years.

Anyway, by the end of the month we'll know a lot more about the Texas prospects.