[cj2561]

Speed kills.

Speed kill, just ask Hazard... Beechwood was to fast on D for them..... When a team have a fast D you need stength.... If you can't run around them, you need to run over them... So you need both...

[tradition]

Speed!

And I'm not just thinking 40 time speed, but also quickness. Being able to move your feet and get where you need to be is critical.

[UCFB]

Speed!

And I'm not just thinking 40 time speed, but also quickness. Being able to move your feet and get where you need to be is critical.

i think thats agility, i should have added that also. the ability to shift direction and movement fast and quickly.

[bigcoachallen]

It depends on how you are made. I would have to say that the best is POWER: strength combined with speed. I was pretty quick for a 250 guy (ran 40 in 5.0), but since that was still no gonna catch a 4.3 guy, I worked on getting angles and knocking his b***s off when I came across him. Those speed guys seldom like getting hit. When you hit them with 250+ pounds, it only takes a couple of those and he starts dancing... or quits altogether.

[charlie22]

Does looking at last year's state champions help shed any light on this discusssion?

Trinity-fast and quick; Highlands-fast and quick; Bell- I only saw them play the one game but in the state game they looked faster and quicker than Bullitt East; Central-fast and quick; Fort Campbell-fast and quick; Beechwood- one of their faster and quicker teams in quite some time but I didn't see this state game so I don't know if they were faster and quicker than their opponent.

Is that a fair analysis of those teams and input on this discussion?

[cougarpride08]

Speed is something that you can work on all year round.

[bigcoachallen]

Last year's champions had fast backs, no denying that, but did you look at their O & D lines. The 3A - 6A "Hogs" were obviously strong! I go back to my last reply... it is POWER!!!
The six Sport-related Fitness Components:
1. Speed (from point A to B, quickly)
2. Strength (exertion of force)
3. Power (combination of Strength & Speed)
4. Balance (being able to remain upright while staying still or moving)
5. Agility (combination of Speed and Balance, "body control")
6. Reaction Time (amount of time it takes to react, once you realize you need to).

[charlie22]

Last year's champions had fast backs, no denying that, but did you look at their O & D lines. The 3A - 6A "Hogs" were obviously strong! I go back to my last reply... it is POWER!!!
The six Sport-related Fitness Components:
1. Speed (from point A to B, quickly)
2. Strength (exertion of force)
3. Power (combination of Strength & Speed)
4. Balance (being able to remain upright while staying still or moving)
5. Agility (combination of Speed and Balance, "body control")
6. Reaction Time (amount of time it takes to react, once you realize you need to).

I watched the 5A championship game line play closely as I had a son participating on the line in that game. Highlands O line was not bigger than Christian Co's O line, but did a much better job controlling the line of scrimmage and beyond, than Christian Co's did. Highlands O line used their quickness and speed to effectively trap, to block not only the d linemen but Christian Co's lbers also, and to down field block. Christian Co's O line was bigger, but not near as quick and as a result had difficulties blocking Highlands D linemen and particularly the Highlands lbers.

I agree with you that speed and strength (power as you define it) is the winning combo. but that really doesn't answer the original question. The original question in comparing speed vs strength was: Which do you consider to be the most important in the game of football overall to winning as a team? Which would seemingly mean: if you could only have one of the two (but not both), which would you rather have?

Obviously the answer is based somewhat on the systems ran, but for me, I'd rather have smaller, faster, more mobile linemen that may not be as strong as the opponents vs. bigger, stronger lineman that are slow. From what I've observed of Highlands and Trinity (the two teams I follow closely: Highlands because I played there and have had two sons play there; and Trinity because of the success of their program) both schools have gone the way of the SEC and emphasized speed and quickness over size and strength.

I realize that my "mentality" is different than the traditional mountain football style which has historically favored the "pound it" offensive style. That pound it style has occassionally worked against Highlands (Rockcastle in 02 unfortunately still comes quickly to mind) but most times it has not.

[PaytoPlay]

I think speed is primary, but there comes a point deep in the playoffs where teams need a minimum level of size as well because the last couple games are usually against teams that have both.

[bigcoachallen]

I have been a football coach for nearly ten years. I played football in high school, for four. I have seen a lot of fast guys, but having speed every season is not gonna happen. Strength, on the other hand is something that you can teach and work on all year round. I also go back to what I have said about "speed" vs. "strength"... if a strong player heads off a fast one, the fast one will lose... every time. It's like comparing a corvette colliding with a kenworth. The vette will juke and out maneuver, until the big-boy cuts him off... then it is lights out.

[Brooks4Prez]

Both. You can't say that one is more important than the other because you need both strength and speed to be a good football player/team.

[Brooks4Prez]

Speed is something that you can work on all year round.

So is strength

[Jtownboyy]

Speed. It dont matter how strong you are if you cant catch somebody or run awat from nobody.

[cougarpride08]

Well yes, but strength is only worked in the weight room. You can practice speed a bunch of places. Once we get the track there is no reason why our speed will get better.

[UCFB]

Well yes, but strength is only worked in the weight room. You can practice speed a bunch of places. Once we get the track there is no reason why our speed will get better.

This is not true. everytime you run and your legs feel shreeded, uve just got stronger. when you train strength in the weight room also you get faster, as your legs get bigger, they kick harder and have more drive. speed and strength go hand and hand until a very extreme level of lifting.

[Remorcefull Raider]

IMO it dont matter if you're the fastest and strongest guy on the field, if you have no knowledge of the game and no understanding of the style of play that your opponent is bringing with them then you stand no chance.

[Shondue]

Stength!! Who doesn't love gool ol' smash-mouth ball!

[ukfan24]

I think that speed is more valuable. For example, when Belfry played Lou. Central two years ago, centrals speed ran circles around Belfry. Belfry no matter how much stronger they were, they never really were able to catch up.

[cougarpride08]

That is a good example ukfan24.

[Matman]

Some one nailed it when they said Power. Highlands is not a good example. I believe their line play has more to do with numbers and confussion. They rotate two lines out against JC. JC's line ate them alive in the first half. And really the hole game to get 400 yards. Thats a classic strength vs speed match up though. But they had problems on the switch of the line.

[Matman]

A running back comes to mind in this debate. Adam Dials from Sheldon Clark. Not really fast. But very powerful and strong. Racked up some serious yards in the season.

[charlie22]

Some one nailed it when they said Power. Highlands is not a good example. I believe their line play has more to do with numbers and confussion. They rotate two lines out against JC. JC's line ate them alive in the first half. And really the hole game to get 400 yards. Thats a classic strength vs speed match up though. But they had problems on the switch of the line.

I certainly agree with you that JC moved the ball very, very well almost the entire football game against Highlands. But what puzzles me a bit is the comment about Highlands line play relying on numbers and confusion. As to the confusion part, couldn't one say that JC's offense relies heavily on confusion also (as in who has the football)? It's not like JC ran the power I and everyone knew the tailback was going to get the football. Not even close. JC's offense is very deceptive and thus confusing if you will.

As to the numbers part, how many of JC's O line also started on JC's D line? There may have been one or two, but I think that was about it. Highlands had one O lineman also play the entire game on D. Maybe my recollection about the number of JC O linemen also playing D is incorrect. I'll look at the tape tonight. But even if you are correct, it somewhat follows Highlands D philosophy. They'd rather have fresh, fast, smaller defensive linemen in there than tired, big, strong linemen because of the defense they run and what they are trying to accomplish with their D linemen.

On the play that I think decided the outcome of the game (the fumble recovery and return for a touchdown by Highlands), the defensive lineman that caused the fumble and returned it for a touch down was able due to his quickness and speed to get inside the down block and strip the football. So if that play determined the outcome of the game as I think it did, then would I be wrong in thinking that quickness/speed beat strength in that game, or at least determined the outcome of that game?

[the gr8 uno]

i am somewhat split on this speed vs strength issue i playes at schs and it was all strength with the belly system but the faster teams burnt us on d... i saw another thread called top prospects .....until coaches and the kids start developing some speed the are very few d-1 calibur skill players in the mountains.....maybe some line or line backers .... but not enough speed

[Matman]

I certainly agree with you that JC moved the ball very, very well almost the entire football game against Highlands. But what puzzles me a bit is the comment about Highlands line play relying on numbers and confusion. As to the confusion part, couldn't one say that JC's offense relies heavily on confusion also (as in who has the football)? It's not like JC ran the power I and everyone knew the tailback was going to get the football. Not even close. JC's offense is very deceptive and thus confusing if you will.

As to the numbers part, how many of JC's O line also started on JC's D line? There may have been one or two, but I think that was about it. Highlands had one O lineman also play the entire game on D. Maybe my recollection about the number of JC O linemen also playing D is incorrect. I'll look at the tape tonight. But even if you are correct, it somewhat follows Highlands D philosophy. They'd rather have fresh, fast, smaller defensive linemen in there than tired, big, strong linemen because of the defense they run and what they are trying to accomplish with their D linemen.

On the play that I think decided the outcome of the game (the fumble recovery and return for a touchdown by Highlands), the defensive lineman that caused the fumble and returned it for a touch down was able due to his quickness and speed to get inside the down block and strip the football. So if that play determined the outcome of the game as I think it did, then would I be wrong in thinking that quickness/speed beat strength in that game, or at least determined the outcome of that game?

I'm not talking about confussion as in misdirection and offenses. They run two totaly different types of dlines. One seems to stunt more and hit the gaps while the other doesn't penetrate. If your on the oline and the guy infront of you keeps switching it can cause some confussion. But the lineman who took the hand off didn't do it because he was so quick. He did it because someone missed the hand off. Then he just got behind the offense before they new what was going on.

[beasy_bo]

at any level now a days its speed i mean look at rockcastle and sheldon clark. rockcastle beat them every year and sheldon had crazy strength. but mostly like said before its all in how you use it.

[AshamedLCParent]

Speed is all that matters in any sport. Skill means absolutley nothing. It's all about if you can run fast or not it doesn't matter if you can block,tackle,be intelligent,hit,catch,rebound or shoot it all about how fast you can run.

[bigcoachallen]

I absolutely DISAGREE!!!