Realities of the 40 yard dash....

[KBVol]

Since so much talk is about our boys in the Combine this weekend, figured I'd post this article about the realities of the 40 yard dash.

Couple of takeaways ....

1. You, and I, can't break 5.0 in the 40
2. All HS kids' 40 times are inflated and they look so fast on tape because all the other kids they're running away from are so slow


Anywho, here's the article. It's a fun read by Travis. Enjoy.


Reality: You Can't Run a Sub 5.0 Forty | Outkick The Coverage

 

[Cosmo]

Kind of puts things into perspective. Do a Volnation 40 Challenge. Anyone that beats Barnett's 40 time gets to be king of Volnation for the day. Video proof required.

 

[K-town Vol Fan]

Its not impossible. Im sure there are members here who could run sub 5.0.

 

[Chilmonty]

I couldn't FALL 40 Yards and break 5.0 seconds!! :blink::blink:



.

 

[TnBrock16]

...... I ran a 4.55 in highschool 3 years ago, so guess that claim's busted.

 

[rtb1983]

Kind of puts things into perspective. Do a Volnation 40 Challenge. Anyone that beats Barnett's 40 time gets to be king of Volnation for the day. Video proof required.

He got a 4.88 officially? I will gladly take you up on that. What does me being king entail?

 

[DocVOLiday]

Kind of puts things into perspective. Do a Volnation 40 Challenge. Anyone that beats Barnett's 40 time gets to be king of Volnation for the day. Video proof required.

I'm not in super great shape, but I'm only 24 and I weigh more than 100 lbs less than him, and I'm decently confident I could at the very least tie his time

But then again I never played on the line and I would/should be competing against receivers and DBs based on my measurables

 

[KBVol]

Its not impossible. Im sure there are members here who could run sub 5.0.

Very, very, very, very few. Not impossible, just 99% of casual fans on here could not. I remember when Travis was still on the radio at 104.5 and he put the challenge out to and all these guys calling in and saying how fast they were in Highschool and college and they could absolutely break 5.0......and all but one who showed up (dozens according to Clay) could not. Many didn't break 6.0.

 

[KBVol]

I'm not in super great shape, but I'm only 24 and I weigh more than 100 lbs less than him, and I'm decently confident I could at the very least tie his time

But then again I never played on the line and I would/should be competing against receivers and DBs based on my measurables

No offense, but I doubt it, which is Travis' point and was the result of his challenge. All those guys who thought they coukd break 5 seconds just couldn't. It's not being disrespectful to anybody, it's just making the point between perception and reality.

 

[TnBrock16]

Very, very, very, very few. Not impossible, just 99% of casual fans on here could not. I remember when Travis was still on the radio at 104.5 and he put the challenge out to and all these guys calling in and saying how fast they were in Highschool and college and they could absolutely break 5.0......and all but one who showed up (dozens according to Clay) could not. Many didn't break 6.0.

Yeah I guess that would make sense if the majority of the people calling in are people out of college who don't exercise like they used to.

 

[KBVol]

Yeah I guess that would make sense if the majority of the people calling in are people out of college who don't exercise like they used to.

Doesn't matter if the overwhelming majority still exercise or not. The point is, a 5.0 40 is generally quite fast and most, whether they were ever in great shape or not, never could break 5 seconds, even though they might swear they used to run 4.7 or 4.8.....and they certainly can't now.

 

[DocVOLiday]

No offense, but I doubt it, which is Travis' point and was the result of his challenge. All those guys who thought they coukd break 5 seconds just couldn't. It's not being disrespectful to anybody, it's just making the point between perception and reality.

I'm a pretty good runner and about 5'9 160 lbs. And only 24. I'm not some 44 year old guy taking about running a 4.3 back in high school

Pretty sure I can run around a 4.9


Edit: actually, I've been thinking about it for a while and I think I probably wouldn't get a 4.9 because I haven't practiced in a while and my start would be terrible (only ran track for a bit in high school, and haven't done that type of start in a while). However, I think our top speeds in a 40-60 yard range might be similar

 

[Cosmo]

His point is that the guys in the combine have been training for the 40 for months, and the are elite athletes. Many don't break 5.

 

[Nasavol]

Good post KB, I mentioned in another thread that people need to get a reality check on 40 times. 5.0 is fast, 4.5 is NFL fast, and anything under 4.4 is Olympic class. That is just how it is and it is not disrespectful in the least.

 

[LoudOrange]

The timing system at the combine is a little more exact than your girlfriend holding a stopwatch.

 

[VFLCodyGBO]

I don't think people understand the difference in a 5.0 and a 4.8 are so small. Just a bad move off the start can make or break.

 

[Cosmo]

The timing system at the combine is a little more exact than your girlfriend holding a stopwatch.

Bingo. Or more coaches per the article.

 

[jackaro]

I thought the article was ridiculous when I read it. Clay Travis is insistent that people beleive they can run under a 5 forty. I thought to myself "I have watched football all my life, almost all my friends watch sports, and yet I have never heard any of them make that claim. Whats more, I don't believe any of them think they could do that." The entire point of the article, I believed when I read it, was absurd.

Imagine my surprise when I read this thread and realized there are people, not athletes just regular people, who think they could. I am baffled and utterly amazed that this article actually speaks to a relavent point.

 

[TnBrock16]

I thought the article was ridiculous when I read it. Clay Travis is insistent that people beleive they can run under a 5 forty. I thought to myself "I have watched football all my life, almost all my friends watch sports, and yet I have never heard any of them make that claim. Whats more, I don't believe any of them think they could do that." The entire point of the article, I believed when I read it, was absurd.

Imagine my surprise when I read this thread and realized there are people, not athletes just regular people, who think they could. I am baffled and utterly amazed that this article actually speaks to a relavent point.

Just because people didn't go D1 doesn't mean they weren't athletes at one point. I think there were 3 people on my highschool team that were a sub 4.6. And a good portion, probably 20%, ran sub 5.0.

 

[JFBanicki]

...... I ran a 4.55 in highschool 3 years ago, so guess that claim's busted.

Really, seriously, bet you didn't read the article or even just the part about how coaches and trainers steal time off of their kids 40s to make themselves look better. I'm willing to bet my house, car and soon to be first born that you wouldn't run a 4.8 40 let alone the time you posted where your coach started the watch after you actually started and stopped it just before you actually hit the 40 line. Also cutting out the fastest 40yds out of a 100m dash don't count either, although i'd still be willing to bet you still wouldn't hit 4.55.

 

[jackaro]

I am baffled and utterly amazed that this article actually speaks to a relavent point.

Just because people didn't go D1 doesn't mean they weren't athletes at one point. I think there were 3 people on my highschool team that were a sub 4.6. And a good portion, probably 20%, ran sub 5.0.

I am still baffled, and quickly losing faith in the human race.

 

[KBVol]

Good post KB, I mentioned in another thread that people need to get a reality check on 40 times. 5.0 is fast, 4.5 is NFL fast, and anything under 4.4 is Olympic class. That is just how it is and it is not disrespectful in the least.

Appreciate the thoughts and facts there NASA. I didn't post to denigrate or insult anyone to be sure, just to give greater context with regards to how fast 5.0 in the 40 is and how fast these guys are.

Also, so maybe people with take it with a grain of salt over in the recruiting forum when it's posted that some kid runs 4.35 or 4.4. It likely isn't legit and that's why we often see a kid come out of Highschool, work hard with professional strength and conditioning coaches for 3-4, sometimes 5 years, and they don't seem to shave even a tenth of a second of their reported 40 time coming out of Highschool. It's actually very likely that they got much faster during their time in college, but it doesn't appear so because their 40 time coming college was so inflated.

Finally, it was also to highlight Travis' unscientific study/example of all the people who took his challenge who were certain that they could break 5.0, only to fail miserably. According to him, a few dozen took the challenge, sure that they'd do it....yet literally only one was able to break 5 seconds.

 

[TnBrock16]

Really, seriously, bet you didn't read the article or even just the part about how coaches and trainers steal time off of their kids 40s to make themselves look better. I'm willing to bet my house, car and soon to be first born that you wouldn't run a 4.8 40 let alone the time you posted where your coach started the watch after you actually started and stopped it just before you actually hit the 40 line. Also cutting out the fastest 40yds out of a 100m dash don't count either, although i'd still be willing to bet you still wouldn't hit 4.55.

Shoot man. Does this mean I gotta father a kid now? I ain't ready for this. You can keep em. I would actually argue that many coaches would try to make the 40's slower than they really are to push the kids. Our coaches got nothing out of lying about 40 times. My personal time also wasn't timed by high school coaches. It was during a training course that I did in the offseason.

 

[K-town Vol Fan]

I thought the article was ridiculous when I read it. Clay Travis is insistent that people beleive they can run under a 5 forty. I thought to myself "I have watched football all my life, almost all my friends watch sports, and yet I have never heard any of them make that claim. Whats more, I don't believe any of them think they could do that." The entire point of the article, I believed when I read it, was absurd.

Imagine my surprise when I read this thread and realized there are people, not athletes just regular people, who think they could. I am baffled and utterly amazed that this article actually speaks to a relavent point.

I know I couldnt now, but I know I could in HS or 2 or 3 years removed. I wasnt on the football team in HS because I did basketball but my buddy was clocked at 4.8 by the football coaches and I know for sure I was faster than him. I know I sound like Uncle Rico right now but...5.0 forty can be broken by a large number of HS athletes. Hell Peyton Manning ran a 4.8 and we all know how fast he was.

 

[TnBrock16]

Appreciate the thoughts and facts there NASA. I didn't post to denigrate or insult anyone to be sure, just to give greater context with regards to how fast 5.0 in the 40 is and how fast these guys are.

Also, so maybe people with take it with a grain of salt over in the recruiting forum when it's posted that some kid runs 4.35 or 4.4. It likely isn't legit and that's why we often see a kid come out of Highschool, work hard with professional strength and conditioning coaches for 3-4, sometimes 5 years, and they don't seem to shave even a tenth of a second of their reported 40 time coming out of Highschool. It's actually very likely that they got much faster during their time in college, but it doesn't appear so because their 40 time coming college was so inflated.

Finally, it was also to highlight Travis' unscientific study/example of all the people who took his challenge who were certain that they could break 5.0, only to fail miserably. According to him, a few dozen took the challenge, sure that they'd do it....yet literally only one was able to break 5

Yeah all good points. I would agree that very few people can do it