I pondered putting together a post on how to illustrate the improvements in recruiting under Matt Campbell. I considered breaking down the incremental advances in recruiting rankings over the past seven or eight years, but that’s a metric flawed at it’s very root. For multiple reasons.
One, because the rankings themselves are wholly subjective. Two, well…there are other reasons, but that one’s good enough. Besides, it’s boring!
So, I thought about what metric could clearly and cleanly illustrate a substantial improvement, with unarguable, objective data?
And there’s really only one. Verified track speed. High school track results.
Let’s be honest. For ages, speed has been a real Achilles heel for the Cyclone football program. Even unquestioned all time stars like Tracy Henderson, Troy Davis or Todd Blythe weren’t known for their blazing speed.
And while occasional HS track stars did appear in the program—guys like Danny Harris (400m hurdles), Ellis Hobbs (24” long jumper) or Nik Moser (400m), they were just that, occasional unicorns, once a decade guys. The guys on the team who had run a sub 11.0 100m could usually be counted on one or two…fingers. If that many.
I seem to recall that Ellis also ran a 10.61 100m—but that was a very long time ago.
As a measuring tape, Kene Nwangwu was an all around unicorn, with a 10.54 100m, a 24’ 5” long jump, a 6’11” high jump and a 44’ 8 1/2” triple jump. He also just happened to.be the zenith of Paul Rhoads’ recruiting. And, under Coach Campbell, the start of a new Cyclone era.
Okay, sure, so some guys like Breece Hall didn’t seriously run high school track. Still, rather than one or two “fast” guys on the team, here’s what the established results for current team members and recruits looks like—and remember, most coaches consider an 11.0 100m to be the gold standard:
Dimitri Stanley 10.70 (HS) 10.80 (CU)
Quaron Adams 10.49 (HS)
Eli Sanders 10.71 (HS)
Abu Sama 10.84 (HS), 21.76 200m, 24’10” LJ
Carson Hansen 10.85 (HS)
Darien Porter 10.68 (HS), also 46.99 400
Jeremiah Cooper 10.65 (HS)
Plus:
Brett Eskildsen 10.70, 44’ 1 3/4” TJ, senior season yet to come
Also:
Michael Parkes 11.01 (HS)
Beni Ngoyi 11.02 (HS JR)
Beau Freyler 11.05 (HS)
Jaylin Noel 11.07 (HS Soph, did not compete again)
Jamison Patton 6’6” HJ (only occasional track exp)
Myles Norwood 47’ 8 1/2 Triple Jump (State Champ in HS), 23’ 4 1/4” LJ (HS), 23’ 11 1/2” (as frosh at JC)
Not bad, huh?
One, because the rankings themselves are wholly subjective. Two, well…there are other reasons, but that one’s good enough. Besides, it’s boring!
So, I thought about what metric could clearly and cleanly illustrate a substantial improvement, with unarguable, objective data?
And there’s really only one. Verified track speed. High school track results.
Let’s be honest. For ages, speed has been a real Achilles heel for the Cyclone football program. Even unquestioned all time stars like Tracy Henderson, Troy Davis or Todd Blythe weren’t known for their blazing speed.
And while occasional HS track stars did appear in the program—guys like Danny Harris (400m hurdles), Ellis Hobbs (24” long jumper) or Nik Moser (400m), they were just that, occasional unicorns, once a decade guys. The guys on the team who had run a sub 11.0 100m could usually be counted on one or two…fingers. If that many.
I seem to recall that Ellis also ran a 10.61 100m—but that was a very long time ago.
As a measuring tape, Kene Nwangwu was an all around unicorn, with a 10.54 100m, a 24’ 5” long jump, a 6’11” high jump and a 44’ 8 1/2” triple jump. He also just happened to.be the zenith of Paul Rhoads’ recruiting. And, under Coach Campbell, the start of a new Cyclone era.
Okay, sure, so some guys like Breece Hall didn’t seriously run high school track. Still, rather than one or two “fast” guys on the team, here’s what the established results for current team members and recruits looks like—and remember, most coaches consider an 11.0 100m to be the gold standard:
Dimitri Stanley 10.70 (HS) 10.80 (CU)
Quaron Adams 10.49 (HS)
Eli Sanders 10.71 (HS)
Abu Sama 10.84 (HS), 21.76 200m, 24’10” LJ
Carson Hansen 10.85 (HS)
Darien Porter 10.68 (HS), also 46.99 400
Jeremiah Cooper 10.65 (HS)
Plus:
Brett Eskildsen 10.70, 44’ 1 3/4” TJ, senior season yet to come
Also:
Michael Parkes 11.01 (HS)
Beni Ngoyi 11.02 (HS JR)
Beau Freyler 11.05 (HS)
Jaylin Noel 11.07 (HS Soph, did not compete again)
Jamison Patton 6’6” HJ (only occasional track exp)
Myles Norwood 47’ 8 1/2 Triple Jump (State Champ in HS), 23’ 4 1/4” LJ (HS), 23’ 11 1/2” (as frosh at JC)
Not bad, huh?
