Some all important Freshman 40 numbers

[blackvern]

He had 8 interceptions last year. That's not a lot?

He was a 5 star after his junior year

 

[JHallCanes]

Blackvern your thoughts on Waters time?

You were pretty outspoken about him being a 4.75 guy.

Yea I have to admit that surprised me, he ran 4.7's at a few of the camps he went to.. EVen at the opening he ran 4.73 and a 4.71. I have to get in my mind that these dudes are only 17 year old and they sometimes can get faster. I just never saw 4.55 on tapes and his 40 at the opening also reassured my skepticism..

By the way Raphael Kirby ran a 4.8 this spring now hes running a 4.6 can you really shed .2 in a 40 in a few months?

Yeah man I was surprised too. I remember one of those 4.7+ days and there were a lot of excuses being thrown around. Some guys who had seen him play a lot swore up and down he was much faster than 4.7 so it looks like they were right. Either way, good news since he isn't really a "speed" guy anyway.

I guess Kirby makes sense since he is now working with better coaching. Figure when you see some of our guys run great 40 times at the combine, Swasey must be pretty good at shaving some time down. Kirbys highlights always looked like he was plenty fast.

 

[CyberCane]

He had 8 interceptions last year. That's not a lot?

The ball was probably thrown his way a grand total of 20 times.

 

[HurricaneBob]

Duke also hack squatted 385...whatever the fluck that means..maybe one of you gym freaks can tell us what that means

http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/hack-squat

 

[JHallCanes]

Tracy 4.65

Coming into this summer I voiced my concerns over Tracy Howard's ability to play corner at the D1 level. I based my concerns from seeing him get abused with regularity at the Nike Sparq camps. He simply did not have the top end speed necessary to hang with the nation's elite. It was evident.

So now he's on campus and the reports are glaringly positive. Yet I see this number above. SFbay luvz him some Greentree All-Americans as much as the next Canes fan but I still remain skeptical about Howard at corner. How many top shelf D1 corners have 40 times in the mid 4.6 range?

I dont know about that sfbay cane.. He got beat on one play against Stacy Coley.. His play at the camps are what made him a 5 star. Just an FYI most corners WR's dont getr 5 star status these days by their play on the field.they get it from these camps.

Vern,
Not true. Tracy Howard had multiple bad 7 on 7 performances at camps. Bakas wrote about it when Howard attended one of the camps he worked. He also refused to run the 40 at any of the camps he attended including the Nike Sparq camp. His top end speed is lacking and he knew it. Once that shows up on film, the craftier offensive coordinators will find ways exploit it.

Yep that was one of the big debates. Bakas had seen Howard look mediocre a lot in camps I think he had him in the 20's in his top Florida players. But then you had someone else (Vogt maybe?) that had watched him play a ton and swore up and down he was the best CB he had seen other than Peterson.

 

[WhatTheHell]

I'm not too worried about Howard's time. I think his fluidity and quickness are more important. In addition, if he can add some size and become successful and jamming guys at the line, he can be a solid corner.

 

[SFbayCane]

Yea so please tell me how he recieved 5 star status then? He didnt have a lot of interceptions, didnt run the 40. and is 5'10 on a good day...please tell me how he recieved these 5 stars? Doesnt make sense to me...

So first let me say this is the type of argument/debate that I love. Even if Im wrong, I win. (because then Tracy Howard would be an elite corner for the Canes) lol

He was a 5 star recruit because he locked down EVERY wide receiver he faced throughout his junior and senior seasons in HS, playing at the highest national level. That's why.

But that does not discount the FACT that Tracy Howard lacks top end speed. Separating fact from opinion; (1) TH refused to run the 40 at EVERY camp he attended, including the Nike Sparq camp. (2) He ran a very under-whelming 4.65 at the U, as noted in the OP. This is not an opinion, its fact. His 40 time is not where you typically see elite D1 corners.

The question I posed when bringing this up was: Are there other examples of elite level D1 corners who also lack top end speed. sf2 listed two of them at the top of this page. As well, someone on page 1 listed one example. That's where I think this discussion should go. We know FACTUALLY that TH lacks top end speed. We also know that he has a strong, natural propensity to cover. My CONCERN is that a corner running 4.65 will get exposed at the D1 level. Please note Im not calling him a bust, lol, but I've mentioned this concern well before he got on campus and his 40 time at the U confirms my concern.

Im not so sure I share the opinion that his 40 time can be shaved as far as some have suggested in this thread. going from a 4.65 to 4.60 would be significant. To suggest that he could get down into the low 4.5's or high 4.4's seems like a stretch to me but I cannot speak with much authority on this subject. I'll gladly defer to others with direct experience.

Good thread tho, Vern. I need to go back and rep you for starting it.