Athletes at the Skill Positions

[Thanks_Tom RR]

Urban Meyer's a few years back made a comment about how he looks for multi-sport athletes to recruit to Ohio State. The Chip Kelly/Scott Frost offense seems to gravitate toward inclusion of track athletes at skill positions. Put on your coaching/recruiting cap and answer me this, when you look at the skill positions (i.e., QB, RB, WR) on the offense, success in what other sport translates the best to ability on the football field?

What are the stats or measurables from that sport that translates?

 

[Husker from Kansas]

I really like sprinters/hurdlers in this offense because they get up to speed in a flash and usually have great top end speed. We don't need guys to make a lot of moves because they are going to get the ball in space, we need guys who once they get the ball, they get up the field in a hurry.

 

[Pedro Guerrero]

eSports

 

[BigRedBuster]

Basketball.  It includes quickness, explosiveness, hand eye coordination, quick thinking and good footwork.

 

[NUance]

The second sport carryover skill might be different for different positions.  I'd want RBs and WRs who are good sprinters.  But for the QB I'd say basketball would be okay.  Or even golf.  

 

[ColoradoHusk]

The second sport carryover skill might be different for different positions.  I'd want RBs and WRs who are good sprinters.  But for the QB I'd say basketball would be okay.  Or even golf.  

Agree with you in that it depends on the position.

RB's, WR's, DB's - sprinters and jumpers in track, soccer and basketball players (for footwork and quickness)

OL/DL - wrestling and basketball

QB - basketball and baseball (especially up the middle positions)

LB's/TE's - basketball, jumpers, sprinters

 

[Caliborn72]

Basketball.  It includes quickness, explosiveness, hand eye coordination, quick thinking and good footwork.

Good point, basketball didn’t even come to my mind until you mentioned this. I’d also add that good basketball players learn head, hip, and footwork fakes that a lot of receivers could make use of.

 

[NUance]

Agree with you in that it depends on the position.

RB's, WR's, DB's - sprinters and jumpers in track, soccer and basketball players (for footwork and quickness)

OL/DL - wrestling and basketball

QB - basketball and baseball (especially up the middle positions)

LB's/TE's - basketball, jumpers, sprinters

Here's a couple others:  (tongue in cheek.  lol)

punter -- baseball 

Head Coach -- high hurdles/shot put  

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Here's a couple others:  (tongue in cheek.  lol)

punter -- baseball 

Head Coach -- high hurdles/shot put  

Those are great!!!  My son's best sport is baseball, but he also likes to kick and punt the football (he won an area Punt Pass and Kick competition a couple years ago).  I have told him about Darin Erstad's career at NU.

 

[bleedNUred]

Went with track, just because that's what I did in the off season when I played in high school and it helped make me faster.

 

[Hans Gruber]

Honestly, I don't really care which sport as long as they are playing something else. Wrestling, basketball, track, baseball, or whatever is fine with me.

 

[Scarlet Overkill]

I'd prefer wrestling as it requires leverage and brute strength.

 

[Making Chimichangas]

I think soccer is an excellent cross-over sport because you need not only stamina and speed, but also quick cutting, change of direction, and fast footwork--soccer brings all those to the forefront.

 

[Xmas32]

Tie between Track, wrestling or lacrosse.  

I think you develop a special kind of mental toughness in individual sports that you don't necessarily get with team ones.  I can only speak for wrestling but you need some serious stones to go out there and physically dominate another human being.  

As for lacrosse, you need to be pretty athletic and kinda crazy to let people whack you with sticks and that ball is no joke!