Distance focused teams no longer work in Track and Field Championships

UTEP-OT 75, 78-82 IT74-6, 78, 80-82 XC 75-6, 78=81, 83

Arkansas OT 92-99, 03-05 IT 84-2000(ex 96) didn't check XC

Throw in Villanova 3 IT, Manhattan 1 IT

Not all distance, but distance based, alot has changed since the 70's- NLI's, Age Rule, Scholarship Limitations.....but, it has been done

Toughchew wrote:

Change my mind

Stanford was 5th and half a point out of 4th with a team of 4 guys. Quality.

If there were more eligible athletes I am sure Stanford would recruit them. Until such time, distance , middle distance and recently field events is what it is.

Mindnotchanged wrote:

Then why do power speed teams dominate in today’s world? And nobody said Anything about Xc. Distance based teams will lose out in track. And I don’t blame the evens but leadership.

As you go further north, in general, university academic standards increase. Thus those schools track programs are less able to field strong all around track teams.

XC and track should have separate scholarships.

They are two different sports. The worse is a team where the head track coach is also the XC head coach but they’re not a distance coach. I experienced that in college and it was weird.

What the ncaa should do is drop the steeple, 5k, and 10k on the track and give XC it’s own separate scholarships and coaching.

Your statement implies there was a time when they did

mtrack wrote:

UTEP-OT 75, 78-82 IT74-6, 78, 80-82 XC 75-6, 78=81, 83

Arkansas OT 92-99, 03-05 IT 84-2000(ex 96) didn't check XC

Throw in Villanova 3 IT, Manhattan 1 IT

Not all distance, but distance based, alot has changed since the 70's- NLI's, Age Rule, Scholarship Limitations.....but, it has been done

Arkansas was sprint/ jump based with a bunch of distance runners:) If you look at most of the years the point split was pretty even with 30 points in jumps/sprints and 30 in distance events depending on which years had the big studs. It is very hard to get 50+ points in the 800 up alone.

Every now you get teams like stanford in 2000 (and a couple of those) where you can get that many points from distance alone. not many teams can win the 1500/5k/10k and then have a another 2nd person top 4. And then have the junk 6 placers. And yeah some of those arkansas teams were pretty close. When you can have Lincoln and Cragg getting your 38 points and Mulvaney 8 you don't need much else to win. And I think the teams with Bunston, Bruton, hood and the like might have been just as good.

It's math

A distance based program only has 4 events to score from (1500, 5k, 10k, steeple)

Sprint based has 7 (100, 200, 400, 110h, 400h, 4x1, 4x4) plus the long jump and triple jump where there is a ton of overlap.

Even if you're being generous and giving the 800 to the distance programs, that's still 5 events to 9. In addition, it's easier to ride an elite speed athlete because they can do 4 or more events. A distance stud can do 2 max outdoors.

If you wanted to balance them a bit more an easy way would be to add a distance relay or 2 to the outdoor meet. I've always thought it was weird that they had a DMR indoors and nothing longer than the 4x4 outdoors.

If it were up to me I'd add the DMR, and then a partner 8x400 where you'd have 2 guys per team alternating laps. So each guy runs 4 400's, I think the tactics and the potential athletes would be fascinating. For example, could we get Oliver Hoare and Morgan McDonald matched up against Texas A&M's 800 guys (Dixon and Orange)?

Sure, for outdoor, but did everyone forget indoor?

800

Mile

3000

5000

DMR

Big picture, there are 3 running championships per year.

A strong XC program could do well in 2 of the 3 major championships (XC + indoor) a sprint school could do well at 2 of 3 as well (indoor + outdoor) it’s hard to do well at all 3 unless well rounded team. So with budge concerns you gotta pick your poison.

Stanford won the T&F championship 2000.

Except for a pole vaulter (Toby Stevenson), all their points were from middle and distance runners (Michael Stember, Gabe Jennings, Jonathon Riley, Brent and Brad Hauser, Jason Balkman).

You mean just shy of 20years ago? What do you think “no longer” means?

Bycrikey wrote:

You mean just shy of 20years ago? What do you think “no longer” means?

Middle and distance runners are under represented in scoring. Ideas to fix:

- Add 4x1600 event

- Increase scoring in distance races (steeple, 5000, 10000) to top 12

Stanford band banned wrote:

Bycrikey wrote:

You mean just shy of 20years ago? What do you think “no longer” means?

Middle and distance runners are under represented in scoring. Ideas to fix:

- Add 4x1600 event

- Increase scoring in distance races (steeple, 5000, 10000) to top 12

I'll also add:

- Eliminate TJ

- Eliminate 200

qqqqqqqqqqqqq wrote:

Stanford, Utep, Arkansas

UTEP and Arkansas always had points in the sprints and field events.

Not sure what Stanford had for backup when they won.

Well yeah wrote:

Sure, for outdoor, but did everyone forget indoor?

800

Mile

3000

5000

DMR

.

Before that it was

880

1000

Mile

2 mile

3 mile

4x880

DMR

mtrack wrote:

UTEP-OT 75, 78-82 IT74-6, 78, 80-82 XC 75-6, 78=81, 83

Arkansas OT 92-99, 03-05 IT 84-2000(ex 96) didn't check XC

Throw in Villanova 3 IT, Manhattan 1 IT

Not all distance, but distance based, alot has changed since the 70's- NLI's, Age Rule, Scholarship Limitations.....but, it has been done

This is a convincing one. You could make the argument that it's easier to win track meets with a sprinter only team, but not ever with a distance only team. However in nearly every case you would need variety to be a consistent winner.

No one is going to win the 100-200-400 every year.

Stanford band banned wrote:

Stanford band banned wrote:

Middle and distance runners are under represented in scoring. Ideas to fix:

- Add 4x1600 event

- Increase scoring in distance races (steeple, 5000, 10000) to top 12

I'll also add:

- Eliminate TJ

- Eliminate 200

Yes, and go after the Diamond League and make sure they bring back the 5000!

when was the last time someone won NCAA with throws? Imagine getting 60 points from the hammer, shot, discus and javelin. Would really mess up the TV broadcast:)

Winning track is about getting 2 big studs to get you 35+ points and then trying to find a way to scrounge up another 15. A lot of distance studs can't double (10k/5k is doable. Things with the 1500/Steeple are much harder). Most of the sprints are pretty doable.

Did you tell Eau Claire that? or North Central? or Adams State? or Colorado Mines?

Hmmm what do they all have in common? As if they have lesser competition or something... don’t know but it’s something.