debunking the south faster than north myth

**AntiSnob** · 06-28-2009, 12:42 PM

LSU isn't any faster than Ohio State. Why does everyone insist otherwise? - By Jonathan Chait - Slate Magazine

**06Panther** · 06-28-2009, 12:58 PM

Its not about 40 times. Its about game speed and defensive speed.

If you have ever watched a big 10 team play an SEC team, you can clearly see that some teams are faster than others.

**LindenCy** · 06-28-2009, 12:58 PM

Interesting article.

**cmhawks99** · 06-28-2009, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by 06Panther

Its not about 40 times. Its about game speed and defensive speed.

If you have ever watched a big 10 team play an SEC team, you can clearly see that some teams are faster than others.

Big 10 has a solid record vs the SEC All-time and in the Bowls and Iowa in particular has looked very good against the SEC. Michigan in fact has owned the SEC. Ironically enuff the only Big 10 team that really struggles with the SEC is tOSU as they have lost something like 8 straight with 2 different coaches. Few teams are ever more athletic than tOSU showing it is less about speed and more about being out played. In fact I think tOSU has been out prepared, out coached, less physical and flat out intimidated in most of those games.

Why I do not know?!?! But I do know I have said this very thing 100 times with facts and times to back it up.

Chad

**bfross** · 06-28-2009, 01:15 PM

They are both equally fast most everywhere on the field except on the front 7. The SEC across the board has way better athletes on their defensive front 7 than the rest of the leagues. It's night and day when you consider the leagues top to bottom along with the depth they bring. It isn't that the corners or the offensive players are faster in the south, it's just that the front 7, particularly the front 4s are by and large better athletes.

**cmhawks99** · 06-28-2009, 01:35 PM

Actually I was in a bit of hurry at first and didn’t initially read the article because I figured I knew what it would say already. It is nice however to see someone postulate what I have said for a long time with a little more extensive research than I had the time or where with all to do. The below is particularly interesting, though not really for those that actually follow football closely and with an open mind. If I‘m not mistaken the Big 10 has as many or more WR‘s in the NFL than any conference..………….

“”””””””””””””He found that wide receivers from Northern schools actually outran their Southern counterparts: The Northerners, on average, ran the 40 in 4.502 seconds, while the Southerners ran it in 4.548. Southern and Northern cornerbacks finished in a virtual dead heat, 4.535 to 4.555, respectively.””””””””””””””””””
　
Anywhooo, don’t be surprised to see it again as I am dropping it in my cache’ just for future reference. It is hard to convince stubborn people…………..

Not that I am ever stubborn...................

............just don't talk with my wife............

Chad

　

**jaretac** · 06-28-2009, 01:40 PM

I don't think it is necessarily speed that is the issue, it's overall talent.

**HiltonMagic** · 06-28-2009, 01:42 PM

Do you guys realize that the link is from January 2008, and that the main article is from 2002? Kind of outdated

**jaretac** · 06-28-2009, 01:42 PM

Second point, why is this article nearly 2 years old?

**cmhawks99** · 06-28-2009, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by bfross

They are both equally fast most everywhere on the field except on the front 7. The SEC across the board has way better athletes on their defensive front 7 than the rest of the leagues. It's night and day when you consider the leagues top to bottom along with the depth they bring. It isn't that the corners or the offensive players are faster in the south, it's just that the front 7, particularly the front 4s are by and large better athletes.

Of course he doesn’t mention those positions so we decide to hand our hat on that. Well so you know it is most definitively NOT true and I stared a thread over week ago verifying just that. I would give the SEC a slight edge at D-tackle and Middle Lber, but I have found the Big 10 “outside” Lbers to be very similar if not faster……………..The Big 10 per last year had the 2nd most projected outside Lbers, behind the ACC with 11 while the SEC had 7.

Once again proving what the man said…………………”People see what they want, facts be darned!”

Chad

Link from last week with 40 times..................It's a little redundant and convoluted but good stuff all the same...............

http://www.cyclonefanatic.com/forum/...ml#post1109342 (Intriguing 40-yard dash info……….)

**cmhawks99** · 06-28-2009, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by jaretac

I don't think it is necessarily speed that is the issue, it's overall talent.

Big 10 has just less NFLers than the SEC and waaaayyyyy more than the Big 12.

Next............

And no it’s not outdated, but nice try. If anything the Big 10 has gotten faster. I love how people stick hard to their presuppositions.

Chad

**HiltonMagic** · 06-28-2009, 01:52 PM

Pretty easy to stick to them when they get proved again and again on the field.

**jaretac** · 06-28-2009, 02:05 PM

Why do Big 10 fans get so defensive about talent comparison. If the Big 10 and SEC had the same talent, than the only other reason for the gap in on field production is that the SEC has better coaches.

It's a fact that the Big 10 is not up to the SEC or Big 12 in talent, but the Big 10 is still one of the best conferences in that nation. It's a fact that the Big 12 North is no where close to the South and you don't here Cyclone fans up in arms about it. Why put on blinders, the Big 10 will likely not be third forever.

Regardless of what people say about the weather, there are allot of northern schools that have done well in the past and they will continue to do well in the future. Not that much has changed, the North is still cold, people still have the same wants and desires (Troy Davis has said that the reason he came to ISU was because of the snow) as they did 40 years ago, and northern school will again see a resurgence. It may not happen today or tomorrow but it will happen and the worse thing a fan base can do is pretend that the pendulum is not swung the other way.

**The_Architect** · 06-28-2009, 02:05 PM

Whoever said the front 4 of the SEC is correct. Outside of USC, OU and Texas (sometimes Miami and FSU, tOSU and Michigain) - nobody else ever has as talented of a front 4 as the top tier SEC teams.

**jaretac** · 06-28-2009, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by cmhawks99

Big 10 has just less NFLers than the SEC and waaaayyyyy more than the Big 12.

Next............

And no it’s not outdated, but nice try. If anything the Big 10 has gotten faster. I love how people stick hard to their presuppositions.

Chad

Then as I proposed in my above post, it must be better coaching in the SEC.

Average wins in 2008
SEC- 7.7
Big 12- 7.6
Big 10- 7