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Texas players are slow footed at the combine

Posted by HenryJames on February 29th, 2008 under Football

If the NFL is a job, then the NFL Scouting Combine is a job interview. But unlike other job interviews, you already know the questions. You know you’re going to have to run the 40, test your vertical leap and see how many bench reps you can do with 225 pounds. So you can prepare for it.

Or not.


“When you go into the interview, make sure they can see the awards you won at the football banquet.”

When Frank Okam signed with Texas, he was around 300 pounds. Okam weighed 347 at the combine. He actually gained 12 pounds after the season. There was a great clip of him in high school running down a ball carrier who thought he could get the corner. Okam ran a 5.32 40 at the combine. Now Okam should do very well in the actual face to face interviews because he’s all eloquent and shit like Colin Powell.

Marcus Griffin is not the fastest safety around. I still don’t think he’s finished returning that interception against Baylor. He didn’t help himself any by running a 4.76 40 at the combine. That was the slowest of all the defensive backs. However, speed is something you can improve, and maybe a team will mistake him for his brother and draft him in the 1st round.

Billy Pittman ran a 4.76 at the combine making him the only receiver that Marcus Griffin could conceivably cover. His 40 time was also the slowest of all the receivers in attendance. Sensing a pattern? Yet his sophomore year at Texas he averaged over 20 yards per catch. What gives? Oh yeah. Vince.

Jermichael Finley ran a 4.82 40. Seriously. He better be able to lower that because I know there are paternity lawyers out there who can run that fast. He looked fantastic in the pass catching drills though.

Limas Sweed did great. He ran a 4.46 and had a 35″ vertical at 216 pounds. That’s first round stuff. It’s obvious he was not sitting on his ass during his injury-shortened season.

Jamaal Charles ran a 4.38, and he slipped when he ran it. He reaffirmed what we already know. He’s fast.

Who to blame for the poor performances of the majority of Texas players?

1) The players themselves. Duh.

2) The S&C staff at Texas. Have you seen our S&C coach?

3) Bill Little. The media reported it, and he controls the media.

But I’m not going to dwell on the negatives here.

Okam is going to play in the NFL, and afterwards he’s going to be a lawyer. It’s win/win either way for him.

Griffin was a walkon who earned a scholarship and a starting position at Texas. He still might make an NFL roster. If Larry Izzo can play in the NFL…

Pittman was probably never going to play in the NFL. I don’t care. The guy was fucking money during the national championship season.

Finley is going to play in the NFL. He might even be able to use his status to get laid.

And Sweed and Charles are going to get drafted in the early rounds, and both will have successful NFL careers.

I just hope none of them have to play for the Detroit Lions.

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16 Responses

  1. 13evO said:

    February 29th, 2008 at 7:01 am

    The Detriot Lions – the Bermuda Triangle of football.

  2. Nordberg said:

    February 29th, 2008 at 7:46 am

    We had a two year starter at safety running a 4.76, and he was the “good” one.

    Very anxious to see Ben Wells, Christian Scott, etc.

  3. McLovin said:

    February 29th, 2008 at 8:58 am

    Paternity lawyers who can run fast. Good stuff.

  4. Gooba said:

    February 29th, 2008 at 9:15 am

    Okam seems like he doesn’t like football that much. That’s…okay.

  5. The Texas Hammer said:

    February 29th, 2008 at 9:51 am

    If OJ was innocent, this guy…

    -Steve Buschemi (Big Daddy)

  6. Bartoncreek said:

    February 29th, 2008 at 11:34 am

    For all of the emphasis on speed during recruiting, it doesn’t seem to translate come draft time. Our s&c program is great for self-motivators. Problem is there are not a lot of self motivated 19 year olds. God knows I wasn’t at that age. Work out or drink beer? Think I’ll have another cool one, Eddie.

  7. Groundhog Day said:

    February 29th, 2008 at 1:31 pm

    Exactly Nordberg. We had 2 first round draft picks and another playing nickel in the NFL and according to the great Duane Akina, Griffin was our best DB. It’s a wonder he is still coaching let alone was promoted to DC for a year. There is a reason why our pass defense was so bad that year and don’t even get me started about this past year. Our secondary reminded me of the Mackovic days.

  8. Capt. Insano said:

    February 29th, 2008 at 3:21 pm

    Remember when Maddog got his nutritional update from Oprah Winfrey?

  9. Bob in Houston said:

    February 29th, 2008 at 3:33 pm

    Todd Wright’s program actually helps convince recruits to sign. When’s the last time you heard of Madden being able to do that?

  10. Bucket of Chicken 'n Biscuits said:

    February 29th, 2008 at 5:08 pm

    Out of sheer terror, I refuse to play for any program within a 50 mile radius of Jeff Madden.

  11. Aggie Lurking said:

    February 29th, 2008 at 5:18 pm

    Billy Pittman ran a 4.76 at the combine making him the only receiver that Marcus Griffin could conceivably cover. His 40 time was also the slowest of all the receivers in attendance.

    Man that’s a funny line if it wasn’t so sad….what a wasted opportunity

  12. RansomStoddard said:

    February 29th, 2008 at 6:33 pm

    Thanks Fat Dog. You really are the jewel of the UT program.

  13. Capt. Insano said:

    March 1st, 2008 at 5:38 am

    Cody Johnson and Ben Alexander are Maddog’s latest projects.

  14. Capt. Insano said:

    March 1st, 2008 at 9:11 am

    Shipley and The Quan look to have average speed now too. Cedric Dockery is looking fat and I expect Huey to end up taking a large majority of the snaps by the end of next season.

  15. TWC said:

    March 1st, 2008 at 3:57 pm

    That’s why speed is so important to Texas recruiting. If you take a player who runs a 4.3 and Maddog him, he is at least left running 4.6. If you take a slower player that runs a 4.6 coming in, he might forget how to move forward all together.

  16. Darrell Royal said:

    March 3rd, 2008 at 1:28 pm

    Can’t these guys or their agents pay for speed training? A couple fo tenths shaved off their forty time is a huge difference in dollars.

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