RB Aphonso Thomas [SMU - Signed LOI]

[cornographic]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

40 is overrated. I've seen teammates race with and without pads, the results were different. I think a 10 yard burst and vision/feel is a more important evaluation.

40s are only 'overrated' if your players/recruits have bad 40 times. And the converse is true.

How often as a football player do you run 40 yards unimpeded?

 

Edit- Unless you're Melvin Gordon playing against Nebraska's defense.

Ouch

Well, there's this thing called breakaway speed, you know, so they don't chase you down once you get into the clear. Ask Melvin Gordon. It's also better to have speed to hit creases so you can get into the clear. It's also good to have speed for a burst to the hole. So, in short, in good to have speed. It's also generally considered not as good to be slow. 4.7 is slow for an RB, maybe they need a better stopwatch.

 

Heck that LB out of GA we just got has a 4.48. It's generally not as good--about 100% of the time--if your RBs are slower than their LBs(or DBs). One assumes your RBs will be faster than their DL, or one would hope.

 

"Speed kills", maybe y'all have heard that expression.

No one is debating that speed isn't important, just that a 40 time isn't as big a deal as it's made out to be. Our last two running backs drafted ran a 4.7 and a 4.61, I think they did quite well for NU. Jeremy Hill in Cincy ran a mid 4.6, he did more than alright for himself last year too.

 

Burst speed is important too, I agree, as has been stated above. But Burst speed and 40 speed are two different types of speed. I don't think we'll be consistently seeing homerun hitting runs of 40/50/60+ yards every touch, which is why I said I'll take burst speed and vision over a 4.4something 40. Breakaway speed is icing on the cake if a kid can pop 4-6 yard/run every touch and not be arm tackled, like some write-ups have noted.

 

Guys with good 40s usually have a good burst, don't they? I think there is some serious inconsistency with how 40s are timed across the board, but one would think there could be a pretty accurate average, of say, 10 40 times, that could be a reliable indicator. Adam Taylor supposedly is 4.5 and T Newby a solid 4.4, some say faster to the point of 'track speed'(4.3-ish). I also think Ameer is more like a 4.4-ish guy and Rex was listed 4.48 coming out of h.s.(which is probably generous). So, when I see 4.7, it just tends to make me nervous w an RB. If he is actually 4.7, well, that's slow. So far, both backs Riley has recruited are listed @ ~4.7 40s. That makes me nervous.

 

But see, there's another thing which I call, "Husker Recruiting Apologists". The guy is off the radar or a 2* or has a slow 40 time and the Husker Apologists come up with all kinds of equivocations as to why, "that's ok in our case". Well, no, I don't think it's ok. NU needs to improve significantly in recruiting such that we get a solid surplus of 4* players and hopefully a 5* every now and then. That's the only way we're going to become a solid top 10 contender year in and year out--assuming Riley proves to be a good coach, that is.

 

We're in 9 win purgatory for a reason: we're not getting the Jimmies and Joes to get us to the next level.

 

That's not to say any of our players and recruits are 'bad', not at all. They're very good, just not championship caliber.

 

 

Like being from the state of Nebraska? I wonder what people's thoughts would be if this kid was from Grand Island vs. Van, Texas. If that were the case, I bet a hell of a lot more individuals writing this kid off, would be pulling for him, talking up how good he is - just hasn't got the exposure. If we're getting upset about a RB from Texas who is not a 4* or 5* athlete, I really don't have any sympathy for in-state kids that don't compare. We can't have it both ways, a kid should make the grade regardless of where he resides.

 

Of course, NE fans are head over heels whenever the state of NE produces any legit D-IA player, the dirth of which leaves me scratching my head some. Ahman Green is the only big time homegrown RB that I can think of from my 50+ years of fandom. That's kind of crazy when you think about it. I've been an armchair advocate of genetic engineering/hybridization for football players in NE, you know, like they do with bull semen and such, but my idea has yet to 'take'. Too corn-troversial, I s'pose.

Omaha Central had a pipeline to Lincoln in the 80s/90s with big time RBs. Keith Jones, Leodis Flowers, Calvin Jones, and yes, Ahman Green. David Horne was also a 4* from Central, although he never lived up to the hype.

 

KJ, CJ, and Flowers, oh yeah, they were good.

[Warrior10]

Gale Sayers way back, even though he went to KU

[The Dude]

For perspective, Rex Burhead, Arian Foster, and Alfred Morris are 4.7 40 guys.

[cornographic]

For perspective, Rex Burhead, Arian Foster, and Alfred Morris are 4.7 40 guys.

Therefore, none have breakaway speed. I do think Rex was faster before he injured the knee, though--4.48 out of h.s., supposedly.

[cornographic]

Gale Sayers way back, even though he went to KU

My childhood hero, and by far the best.

[Hedley Lamarr]

 

 

For perspective, Rex Burhead, Arian Foster, and Alfred Morris are 4.7 40 guys.

Therefore, none have breakaway speed. I do think Rex was faster before he injured the knee, though--4.48 out of h.s., supposedly.

Isn't this kid listed at 4.49 on his hudl page or something?

[BigRedBuster]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

40 is overrated. I've seen teammates race with and without pads, the results were different. I think a 10 yard burst and vision/feel is a more important evaluation.

40s are only 'overrated' if your players/recruits have bad 40 times. And the converse is true.

How often as a football player do you run 40 yards unimpeded?

 

Edit- Unless you're Melvin Gordon playing against Nebraska's defense.

Ouch

Well, there's this thing called breakaway speed, you know, so they don't chase you down once you get into the clear. Ask Melvin Gordon. It's also better to have speed to hit creases so you can get into the clear. It's also good to have speed for a burst to the hole. So, in short, in good to have speed. It's also generally considered not as good to be slow. 4.7 is slow for an RB, maybe they need a better stopwatch.

 

Heck that LB out of GA we just got has a 4.48. It's generally not as good--about 100% of the time--if your RBs are slower than their LBs(or DBs). One assumes your RBs will be faster than their DL, or one would hope.

 

"Speed kills", maybe y'all have heard that expression.

No one is debating that speed isn't important, just that a 40 time isn't as big a deal as it's made out to be. Our last two running backs drafted ran a 4.7 and a 4.61, I think they did quite well for NU. Jeremy Hill in Cincy ran a mid 4.6, he did more than alright for himself last year too.

 

Burst speed is important too, I agree, as has been stated above. But Burst speed and 40 speed are two different types of speed. I don't think we'll be consistently seeing homerun hitting runs of 40/50/60+ yards every touch, which is why I said I'll take burst speed and vision over a 4.4something 40. Breakaway speed is icing on the cake if a kid can pop 4-6 yard/run every touch and not be arm tackled, like some write-ups have noted.

 

Guys with good 40s usually have a good burst, don't they? I think there is some serious inconsistency with how 40s are timed across the board, but one would think there could be a pretty accurate average, of say, 10 40 times, that could be a reliable indicator. Adam Taylor supposedly is 4.5 and T Newby a solid 4.4, some say faster to the point of 'track speed'(4.3-ish). I also think Ameer is more like a 4.4-ish guy and Rex was listed 4.48 coming out of h.s.(which is probably generous). So, when I see 4.7, it just tends to make me nervous w an RB. If he is actually 4.7, well, that's slow. So far, both backs Riley has recruited are listed @ ~4.7 40s. That makes me nervous.

 

But see, there's another thing which I call, "Husker Recruiting Apologists". The guy is off the radar or a 2* or has a slow 40 time and the Husker Apologists come up with all kinds of equivocations as to why, "that's ok in our case". Well, no, I don't think it's ok. NU needs to improve significantly in recruiting such that we get a solid surplus of 4* players and hopefully a 5* every now and then. That's the only way we're going to become a solid top 10 contender year in and year out--assuming Riley proves to be a good coach, that is.

 

We're in 9 win purgatory for a reason: we're not getting the Jimmies and Joes to get us to the next level.

 

That's not to say any of our players and recruits are 'bad', not at all. They're very good, just not championship caliber.

 

 

Like being from the state of Nebraska? I wonder what people's thoughts would be if this kid was from Grand Island vs. Van, Texas. If that were the case, I bet a hell of a lot more individuals writing this kid off, would be pulling for him, talking up how good he is - just hasn't got the exposure. If we're getting upset about a RB from Texas who is not a 4* or 5* athlete, I really don't have any sympathy for in-state kids that don't compare. We can't have it both ways, a kid should make the grade regardless of where he resides.

 

Of course, NE fans are head over heels whenever the state of NE produces any legit D-IA player, the dirth of which leaves me scratching my head some. Ahman Green is the only big time homegrown RB that I can think of from my 50+ years of fandom. That's kind of crazy when you think about it. I've been an armchair advocate of genetic engineering/hybridization for football players in NE, you know, like they do with bull semen and such, but my idea has yet to 'take'. Too corn-troversial, I s'pose.

Omaha Central had a pipeline to Lincoln in the 80s/90s with big time RBs. Keith Jones, Leodis Flowers, Calvin Jones, and yes, Ahman Green. David Horne was also a 4* from Central, although he never lived up to the hype.

 

Danny Woodhead sucked and still does.

[Red Five]

 

 

For perspective, Rex Burhead, Arian Foster, and Alfred Morris are 4.7 40 guys.

Therefore, none have breakaway speed. I do think Rex was faster before he injured the knee, though--4.48 out of h.s., supposedly.

Isn't this kid listed at 4.49 on his hudl page or something?

 

We can't believe that though. What would we have to bitch about?

[ADS]

I'm going to trust Reggie Davis, who has coached in the NFL for a number of years, when it comes to having an eye for running back talent.

[cornographic]

 

 

For perspective, Rex Burhead, Arian Foster, and Alfred Morris are 4.7 40 guys.

Therefore, none have breakaway speed. I do think Rex was faster before he injured the knee, though--4.48 out of h.s., supposedly.

Isn't this kid listed at 4.49 on his hudl page or something?

 

OMG, he does!!!! Mavrc listed 4.71, have we all been deceived? Ok, I take back all the bad things I said about the kid.

[Mavric]

Honestly, I'm not sure where I got the 4.71. I thought it was on his Rivals page but it's not there now so I'm not sure. I took it off his profile.

 

I've gotten to where I don't put the 40 time in the profile unless it's a verified time from a camp. Someone just saying a time is usually way too fast for what they can actually do. And he hasn't been to really any camps so I don't think he has a verified time.

[The Dude]

 

For perspective, Rex Burhead, Arian Foster, and Alfred Morris are 4.7 40 guys.

 

Therefore, none have breakaway speed. I do think Rex was faster before he injured the knee, though--4.48 out of h.s., supposedly.

Oh well, I'd take Arian Foster as a running back over 99.99% of human beings who can run 40 yards in 4.4 seconds.

[cornographic]

 

 

For perspective, Rex Burhead, Arian Foster, and Alfred Morris are 4.7 40 guys.

Therefore, none have breakaway speed. I do think Rex was faster before he injured the knee, though--4.48 out of h.s., supposedly.

Oh well, I'd take Arian Foster as a running back over 99.99% of human beings who can run 40 yards in 4.4 seconds.

 

I'm going with the 4.4, Tasmanian Devil: Marshawn Lynch, aka, Beast Mode.

[zoogs]

I'm with Mavric. It's jut really crazy to get hung up on 40 times. Where are all these 4.4 high school track stars by the time they get to the NFL Combine? And the 40 is generally overblown to begin with. Where our RBs recently have been most impressive are the other tests -- shuttle runs, etc. Ameer and Rex both beasted at the combine, but not necessarily with their 40 time. Which still gets all the talk.

 

I hear the recruiting concerns too. I think it's valid. It seems we're way behind in the 2016 class compared to the 2017 class, but I think that's reasonable, too. These coaches are hitting those current HS sophomores and building relationships early. The top juniors have cultivated relationships with other programs for a very long time, and a lot of them are probably close to committing.

 

This class needs to start building its own base of commitments, and that pool of players, coaches have been in contact with for three months. I think we'll find before the recruiting cycle is over that we'll be in the game plenty and recruit against other schools whenever we are able. We should KNOW that these coaches don't lack for effort or enthusiasm for recruiting.

[Red Five]

 

 

 

For perspective, Rex Burhead, Arian Foster, and Alfred Morris are 4.7 40 guys.

Therefore, none have breakaway speed. I do think Rex was faster before he injured the knee, though--4.48 out of h.s., supposedly.

Oh well, I'd take Arian Foster as a running back over 99.99% of human beings who can run 40 yards in 4.4 seconds.

 

I'm going with the 4.4, Tasmanian Devil: Marshawn Lynch, aka, Beast Mode.

 

Guessing he would have a hard time breaking 4.7 nowadays. And he is still an All Pro running back.