Fastest Bull 40yd dash

[Ricky the Bull]

If he can cut, then the speed can be used as a KR/PR.

[bulls96go]

punt returner as the KC chiefs guy

what a weapon!

[Velcro]

Ismael Grant will be competing for kick return guy... 50% of his returns were for TD's in HS.

ISHMEAL GRANT

WIDE RECEIVER

6-2, 175

BLOUNTSTOWN, FLA.

BLOUNTSTOWN HIGH SCHOOL

Class A first team all-state…25 catches for 674 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior…Also had 10 punt returns for 168 yards, 12 kick returns for 474 yards and four interception returns for 56 yards…Six kick returns went for touchdowns and three punt returns resulted in touchdowns…Also had 63 tackles as a cornerback…16 touchdowns on returns in his final two seasons…Team reached state championship game…Third team all-state as a junior when he once had three kick returns for touchdowns in one game…Also plays basketball and runs track…Coached by Bobby Johns…Born April 24, 1986.

[Papa_Bull]

Carlton Hill doesn't want to redshirt in 2005, so maybe he too can return kicks while he's learning the QB position. He was the Class 1A 200-meter state champion.

[Papa_Bull]

Ismael Grant is probably the most likely not to qualify this year, so I wouldn't count on him.

[Guest Old Hoss]

Although we love 40 times, football is a contact sport played in helmets and pads. A player might be fast, but doesn't turn out to be worth a **** as a football player. I'm tired of this speed hype.

[BullDoug]

I'm tired of this speed hype.

Hoss, speed is the real deal.  Speed kills.  It's not hype.  Ask any player from a late 80s Cornhusker team when it comes the UM & FSU.  Speed almost always beats strength when both teams have depth.

[Guest S.  Bien]

Speed does kill, but it must be judged by more than just track speed.

It's a combination of speed, and footwork is the key.  I've seen kids that can run 4.3's, but once they have to cut on a move they lose the quickness.  Conversely, I've seen kids run probably in the 4.6's but they keep that speed off the cut and with their footwork thus making them seem faster than they really are straight ahead.

CJ Lewis was probably the fastest Bull the past three years but below average hands, below average work ethic, and below average footwork rendered that 4.3 speed utterly useless.  However, Brian Fisher was around a mid 4.5 guy but damned if he didn't cut on a dime and seemed to gain speed out of the cut almost immediately getting back to top speed after cutting making him seem faster than he really was.  

A great combo guy at USF was Hugh Smith, the guy had legit 4.3 speed, and was also strong out of the cut, and had great footwork.

Now if you measure defensive player's speed often it's measured by what's called contact speed.  For example a LB can run a 4.5 but if he slows up at the point of attack, or absorbs blocker and tacklers instead of initiating the contact and playing through the offensive player then that 4.5 time is useless.   That's why we see LB's that run 4.8's sometimes play more effectively then guys that are 4.5 but tip toe around the field.  

A good speed team has guys on the offensive and defensive side of the ball that have that contact and cut speed.  UM has them, UF has them, and that's why they're so lethal because their teams and players use that speed effectively.

This team has a lot of speed now the question is can they use it effectively on the field or are they going to be another Lewis, or King.  On defense guys like Williams, Nicholas, St. Louis, Jenkins, and Davis have tremendous speed for their positions but often they played passively not attacking the ball, the ball career, or the blocker this is why often times they got pushed back, and didn't use their speed effectively.   It wasn't their size as much as their play that caused these guys not to make plays.  An extra 10lbs on say Nicholas would be great but if he's going to play the same at 235 as he did at 225lbs, then he'll still get knocked back.  On the plus our staff are masters at teaching techniques that allow our players to utilize their natural abilities and excel.  Look what they did with many of our LB's, and DB's before.  

On offense we've got speed coming out of our ears now with Chambers, Garris, Simpson, Hill, Hester, Johnson, Pat Carter, Denson, and Ponton all having great forty speed, and cut speed and good footwork.  We just need to put it all together.  Oh and Ismael Grant too.

I hope Grant makes it to USF sooner rather than later because this kid is a bona fide gamebreaker.  Although he'll probably speed a year or two in prep or JC.

[RobdF]

Thanks for that explanation, Bien.

Also, translating an athlete's raw speed (40 time) into the cut and contact speed is an area where the Strength and Conditioning staff can really make a difference during the off season.

[Papa_Bull]

There is good reason why the football camps not only test 40-yard speed but also how well players do in the shuttle.

At the Miami Nike camp last spring, which included more than 300 top players from the southeast, Taurus Johnson, for example, had a very fast 40 time at 4.41 which placed him t-11 . Matt Grothe was comparatively much slower at 4.59 (t-52). Yet, in the shuttle speed test Matt was exceptional clocking 4.15, placing him t-19, while Taurus was timed in 4.43 (t-120).

http://www.tristatepreps.com/cpEventResult.asp?Key=1&Camper=0&Prospect=0&Skill=1