Take rivalry games where you have a track around the football field and elite competitors in the same event, 1 mile or shorter, and have them compete head to head. 40s work really well for a football crowd if you have low ten or better sprinters. Stanford-Oregon, for instance, would make for a great distance race at halftime. Or, have a xc race finish right in the stadium during halftime.
Yes it makes a difference, but the point is top track speed is faster than top football speed. What makes you suited for football is being 'big enough' as well as 'fast enough'. If you're just big, it won't cut it, if you're just fast it won't cut it. You need a blend of both. I do get annoyed though when they make it seem like fast football players would potentially be just as fast as top sprinters. There's zero chance of that. Tyreek Hill ran 6.65 60m a couple years ago, and DK Metcalf ran 10.3 ish for the 100m a few years ago. They're supposed to be some of the fastest football players in the NFL. It is pretty fast, but nowhere near elite sprint times. Kalen Walker ran 6.51 60m last year and got 2nd at NCAAs, that's why he ran 4.15 for the 40 yard and is faster than any football player's combine results. He also ran sub 10.10 early outdoors before getting hurt. I bet Lyles could run around 4.10, maybe 4.09 in a 40y.
NFL players who ran faster than Walkers 10.09.
Bob Hayes, Ron Brown, Alvis Whitted, Jacoby Ford, Trindon Holliday, Darrel Green, Anthony Schwartz Sam Graddy ran 10.09,
Walker is better at the 60 than the 100 (probably why he ran a great 40y), and that 100m was from his first outdoor meet of the year before getting hurt, I would think he'd run a little faster later in the year and give 10.00 a scare. And I don't know any of those football players, were some of them old and those are hand times?
Bob Hayes, Ron Brown, Alvis Whitted, Jacoby Ford, Trindon Holliday, Darrel Green, Anthony Schwartz Sam Graddy ran 10.09,
Walker is better at the 60 than the 100 (probably why he ran a great 40y), and that 100m was from his first outdoor meet of the year before getting hurt, I would think he'd run a little faster later in the year and give 10.00 a scare. And I don't know any of those football players, were some of them old and those are hand times?
Walker is 5-8 140 pounds and an x high school footballer
Those at sub 10.09 who played in the NFL
Bob Hayes 10.06 Ron Brown 10.06, Alvis Whitted 10.07, Anthony Schwartz 10.07, Jacoby Ford 10.01, Jeff Demps 10.01, Trindon Holliday 10.00, Darrel Green 10.08
NCAA footballers John Capel, Leonard Scott were sub 10,00 but didn't make an NFL roster. Xavier Carter at 10.00 and he never made an NFL roster
Christian Coleman the fastest athlete to run track and play football.
I heard once that a couple of schools in Minnesota put something like this together. Two of the biggest schools in the state were playing each other in football and they each put like 10 guys in a halftime mile.
Yes, it was Minnetonka vs. Edina. Fun concept. It's a little tricky because big football games aren't usually during the time of the season you want to have guys running a full-out mile. But it works well for teams that don't race as frequently or if there is like a 10-day break between a mid-week meet and a weekend invite.