Perspective on 40y times in football

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14 years ago 08/26/2009 8:46pm EDT

Everyone hears about how fast the football guys are when they run 4.3-4.4. Well I did the calculations to figure out what Bolt's 40y time would have been from his world record run in Berlin.

He passed 40m in 4.64 sec.

40m ≈ 43.75y

4.64*(40/43.75)= ≈ 4.22 sec.

take out his reaction time since the clock starts on the runners movement in the 40y for football

4.22 - 0.15 = ≈ 4.07 sec.

Adjustment for hand time is usually considered about 0.24 so

4.07 - 0.24 = ≈ 3.83

So we are looking at Bolt running anywhere from 3.83-4.07 for a football 40y.

14 years ago 08/26/2009 9:14pm EDT

re: derka derka derka

ESPN's "track and field expert" Larry Rawson calculated Bolt to run a 3.82.

14 years ago 08/26/2009 11:53pm EDT

re: Tony Soprano

So why does everyone question when a footballer runs a 4.25-4.3? According to the above calculations, that would be about a 10.6 100m. Most teams have 3 or 4 guys who have run that fast in high school. Besides that, the time doesn't even matter how it compares to a track time. It only matters how it compares to other footballers running the same distance in the same way.

14 years ago 08/27/2009 6:06am EDT

re: Mr Mountain

I think the question refers to adding the extra time. For example: A football player runs 4.3

1. The coach likely didn't round up, so make it 4.4

2. Add in reaction time (.15) 4.55=4.6

3. Add FAT (.24) 4.8

Obviously, the football player isn't wearing spikes, a track uniform, running on a track designed to be fast.

Most pro football numbers are exaggerated anyway, so the reported times could be closer to wishful thinking.

14 years ago 08/27/2009 6:13am EDT

re: runn

I'm not a footballer at all, but you guys do know that they have FAT systems set up, right?

At a top university's high school football camp 10 years ago, they were using FAT where the runner would start with his hand on a button. He would leave when he was ready, and run through a laser at the end. So the only thing not taken into account would be his reaction time to the gun.

14 years ago 08/27/2009 7:57am EDT

re: runa arun

plus it is run in spikes

14 years ago 08/27/2009 8:09am EDT

re: runa arun

runa arun wrote:
I'm not a footballer at all, but you guys do know that they have FAT systems set up, right?
At a top university's high school football camp 10 years ago, they were using FAT where the runner would start with his hand on a button. He would leave when he was ready, and run through a laser at the end. So the only thing not taken into account would be his reaction time to the gun.

This is correct. The NFL combine defintely has FAT for the 40y. So leave that .24 on it for Bolt. Also, those guys run the 40 on turf. Bound to be a smidge slower than mondo. If Bolt ran the NFL combine 40, I'd say he runs around 4.10-4.15.

I think of a few of those NFL guys could run around that if they worked more on their start and mechanics. I'm not saying they could run 9.58, but elite running backs have tremendous acceleration. A back like Chris Johnson (Tennessee Titans) couldn't touch Bolt in a 100m race, but you better believe he'd be right on him for the first 40.

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