Size vs. Speed

[ASU_Chad]

By now everyone knows that Appalachian has been emphasizing speed over size in their players for a while now. (Although having both in a player is the best) I remember the playoffs last year when week in and out on all the boards everyone kept saying how much bigger their players at (insert any position here) were compared to ASU and that would be the Apps down fall. Yet we won every playoff game by more than a comfortable margin. Out of all the quotes that I read leading up to the UM game from the UM coach about ASU were about our speed. Do you think that the success we have had by emphasizing speed will change the way other teams start to recruit from now on? After all, if you can't catch someone, it doesn't matter how big you are.

[mainejeff]

By now everyone knows that Appalachian has been emphasizing speed over size in their players for a while now. (Although having both in a player is the best) I remember the playoffs last year when week in and out on all the boards everyone kept saying how much bigger their players at (insert any position here) were compared to ASU and that would be the Apps down fall. Yet we won every playoff game by more than a comfortable margin. Out of all the quotes that I read leading up to the UM game from the UM coach about ASU were about our speed. Do you think that the success we have had by emphasizing speed will change the way other teams start to recruit from now on? After all, if you can't catch someone, it doesn't matter how big you are.

Yes, but I believe that it has already been happening. I know that Maine recruits more speed now......even if the player is undersized.

[Jerbearasu]

Do you think that the success we have had by emphasizing speed will change the way other teams start to recruit from now on? After all, if you can't catch someone, it doesn't matter how big you are.

Not recruiting wise I don't think but I would not be surprised if quite a few teams change their offensive structure to the Spread O. Teams that have done this on every level are exceeding at this time because there hasn't been a defense created that can stop it and teams have not seen it enough. Last year every single National Champion (Division 1 FBS, 1 FCS, 2, and 3) ran some form of the spread option. The offense is why the other Mountaineers in W. Virginia are doing well, why Florida won a National title last year, and also why App has had the success they've had.
No matter what you need to get recruits that fit the personality of your team. If you are a smash-mouth football team then you get powerful guys; if you are a finesse team you get speed but the personel has to match what your objectives are...

[JohnStOnge]

McNeese has always emphasized team speed and recruits from a "speed" area (Southeast Texas and South Louisiana). I think it's served them well...though it hasn't gotten them a national title yet.

[JohnStOnge]

Last year every single National Champion (Division 1 FBS, 1 FCS, 2, and 3) ran some form of the spread option.

Are you sure Mount Union did that? That's not my recollection but I could be wrong.

[Cleets]

Speed Kills...
Football - Baseball - Basketball (you name it) xlolx


University of Southern California (is a football speed clinic) xnodx

APP. is doing the same thing

Key Point: on offense
A little bit of deception combined with good speed is lethal... one step in the wrong direction by the defense (all of a sudden becomes) HUGE...!!!!


xcoffeex

[JohnStOnge]

University of Southern California (is a football speed clinic)

Back in 2003 when there was the big thing with the BCS and USC being excluded there was an article by a guy from a California newspaper who talked to three NFL scouts about USC and LSU. All three said they thought LSU was the superior team...largely because the Tigers had more team speed. They all thought LSU had a faster, more athletic team.

[McNeese_beat]

By now everyone knows that Appalachian has been emphasizing speed over size in their players for a while now. (Although having both in a player is the best) I remember the playoffs last year when week in and out on all the boards everyone kept saying how much bigger their players at (insert any position here) were compared to ASU and that would be the Apps down fall. Yet we won every playoff game by more than a comfortable margin. Out of all the quotes that I read leading up to the UM game from the UM coach about ASU were about our speed. Do you think that the success we have had by emphasizing speed will change the way other teams start to recruit from now on? After all, if you can't catch someone, it doesn't matter how big you are.

You don't want to be caught being too small. At the same time, you don't want a lot of big guys on your roster who can't play. That's a dilemma in recruiting. At this level, it's easier to find guys with speed than guys with size. Here's why: If you find a 6-5, 300-pound guy and he's not being recruited by your nearest BCS school or at least the nearest high-mid major (C-USA, Mountain West), than you have to wonder why...and it's probably because he can't move his feet well enough to play at that level OR your level. A slow offensive linemen who can't block the quick 280-pound BCS derfensive linemen ALSO can't block the quick 230-pound I-AA defensive linemen. They're stuck in the same mud either way. I've seen a lot of 6-5, 300-pound guys sit the bench in the SLC because 220-pound defensive ends who run 4.7s go around them untouched. What McNeese likes to do is recruit 6-4, 245-pound offensive linemen who are athletic in high school, then bulk them to 280-290. Get the ones that the SEC schools pass on because there ain't enough led in the back pocket yet and not because they are big enough, but slow. You can make the undersized guy bigger. The slow guy will always be slow.

Now, having said (actually typed) that, there are times where it's hard to substitute for size.

For example, if you want to run an NFL-style 3-4 defense, you want your nose guard to be a big ole space eater who can't be moved, like you see in the NFL. You want a 340-pound plugger who can move his feet a little, but it's more important that he be big and strong than light and quick. A 260-pound noseguard in that scheme is going to get knocked off the ball too often, no matter how quick he is.

Just an example.

In the past 10 years, McNeese has always been a speed team, but in their best years, they have been big where they needed to be big. In 07, they had a couple of big, rangy defensive tackles inside in O'Haver and Gill. In 02, they had McNutt and Jones, a couple of guys in the 300-pound range, who could move. Now they have Jackson at what's essentially a nose guard position. He's just 285, but he's also probably the strongest DT they've had.

[Baldy]

That is the exact formula GSU has used for years. It just took longer for others to catch on. The best most recent example as far as GSU is concerned is the 1999 champ game vs. YSU. That was probably the fastest team we have ever assembled.

[fuEMO]

Bobby Lamb has sure taken notice. Furman recruited to matchup to GSU and their offense, throw Woffy in that pot too. If you look at this last season's class, linebackers Boykin and Anderson are big safety types that better defend the spread. I give Coach Moore a ton of credit, he took a risk, it payed off big, now teams are playing catchup. I'm not sure that Furman has all the pieces in place this season, but I like what we have in the stable.

The other element that APP has is a nice cast of players that gain a ton of yards after the catch. To be honest the past two Furmanteams have been lacking in this department.

[Mr. C]

Are you sure Mount Union did that? That's not my recollection but I could be wrong.

He is correct. Mount Union is a no-huddle spread team. I'll go a step further and say that ALL of the championship teams from the past TWO years have run the spread in some form, or fashion. The system run by Grand Valley State and Mount Union is very similar to App State's. I've also heard that some of these coaches have been meeting together in the off-season to trade secrets on their success.

[Cleets]

Back in 2003 when there was the big thing with the BCS and USC being excluded there was an article by a guy from a California newspaper who talked to three NFL scouts about USC and LSU. All three said they thought LSU was the superior team...largely because the Tigers had more team speed. They all thought LSU had a faster, more athletic team.

What do they think today, and over the past 4 years since..??? xlolx

(or were you just chatting..?)

[james_lawfirm]

He is correct. Mount Union is a no-huddle spread team. I'll go a step further and say that ALL of the championship teams from the past TWO years have run the spread in some form, or fashion. The system run by Grand Valley State and Mount Union is very similar to App State's. I've also heard that some of these coaches have been meeting together in the off-season to trade secrets on their success.

You mean they are all in COLLUSION??? If football were a business, then that would be illegal. Let's sue for unfair, restraint of trade. Just kidding.

Sooner or later, even the old-time football schools are going to figure this out. That the spread offense is the modern equivalent of the triple option of 20 - 30 years ago? Once a team adopts the spread, then the players must be fast. Ya' reckon Michigan will be the first? After all, they got a lesson in it last Saturday. Na.

[FargoBison]

You gotta have size and spead at the right places in order to win. I don't think one is more important then the other, it is all about finding the right balance for the schemes your running.

[FargoBison]

You mean they are all in COLLUSION??? If football were a business, then that would be illegal. Let's sue for unfair, restraint of trade. Just kidding.

Sooner or later, even the old-time football schools are going to figure this out. That the spread offense is the modern equivalent of the triple option of 20 - 30 years ago? Once a team adopts the spread, then the players must be fast. Ya' reckon Michigan will be the first? After all, they got a lesson in it last Saturday. Na.

I don't know if Michigan's offense is the problem, defense is what they need to improve. Just look at their last three games with Ohio State, USC, and App State.