DCT and Track

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DCT will not be running track because Coach K will not let him. Disappointing. The track team would surely like to have him.
 

Too bad, but at this point understandable. He very well could be our #1 WR next season, the offense isn't fully installed to the staff's liking, the playbook will expand this spring.
He has options, including redshirting this season in track and competing later in his career once the football program has been stabilized and he's gotten exposure to the full playbook, or simply after he's done with football assuming he's not NFL bound.

To be honest he's worked out much better at WR than I thought he would at this point, he's going to be a good one once he develops a bit more.
 

I was under the impression that this was a condition of DCT going to MN. My sources in the track department at the U thought he was going to run there as well, but I guess things changed. Disappointing to any fans of track.
 

What was he planning to run? Anything over 60 yards is contrary to Klein's aneorobic background. Then there is the possiblity of injury, as well as time away from route running, exploding out of his cut, and catching 70 or more balls a day. Not to mention participaiton in the 7 on 7 drills during winter conditioning.
 

The problem with U sports

No one gives a s--t about track. And by no one, I mean there are probably a few hundred people out there. That is the problem with U sports, too much worry about those of them that don't pay the bills.
 


True, track training and football training are not identical, but they are not entirely dissimilar, especially for a short sprinter like DCT. The football specific drills would obviously be missed, but the training for track is all explosion/acceleration/speed centered, just like the football training.

I am surprised, though, that he would not be "allowed" to run. I was under the understanding that he wanted to run, the coaches knew that he wanted to run, and that he would be part of the track team as part of his commitment to the U. This is what I had heard when he committed for football, but as I said above, things obviously changed.
 

tjgesquire said:
No one gives a s--t about track. And by no one, I mean there are probably a few hundred people out there. That is the problem with U sports, too much worry about those of them that don't pay the bills.
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I understand that track is a non-revenue sport, but I don't think that if you took the entire track budget and shoved it at the football team that they would become an instant winner. I don't understand where this line of thinking comes from. Find me a University that excels in football because its non-revenue sports are cut off. That type of money won't come from cutting NR sports. It comes from winning in football.

Right now, and for the last 20 years, the most consistently successful sports at the U have been mainly NR (with Hockey being the only revenue sport that has won anything). I take a lot of pride in the conference championship teams that I was a part of at the U, but our budget was not anything crazy. During my time at the U, our "gear" consisted of generic Minnesota Athletic Department sweat pants, a sweatshirt, a t-shirt, cotton shorts and socks. We had to buy backpacks that said "University of Minnesota Track and Field" and jackets that said the same. Spoiled rotten with that huge budget.
 

RunGopherRun said:
I understand that track is a non-revenue sport, but I don't think that if you took the entire track budget and shoved it at the football team that they would become an instant winner. I don't understand where this line of thinking comes from. Find me a University that excels in football because its non-revenue sports are cut off. That type of money won't come from cutting NR sports. It comes from winning in football.
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Great point. This seems to go over the head of many a Gopher fan.
 

Just gonna point out that RGIII ran track at Baylor.
 



Is it officially that Kill won't let him or is advising against it? And is it just for this year or is something that can be explored again in future years.

There are many football players across the country that have ran track, so I don't see a huge issue being that. I'm guessing a bigger concern is that DCT had a hamstring injury last year at Edina and could be a concern to the coaches. Perhaps after a year or two of additional training in the football strength & conditioning program, it may be able to be something that can be looked at again.

I don't know enough about injuries & all that, but I'm guessing that may be playing a factor in all of this at this point.
 

zambam said:
Just gonna point out that RGIII ran track at Baylor.
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True, but he only competed during his freshman year, aside from one 200 m event as a 4th-year junior. He was also a much, much better trackster than DC-T.
 

Might have something to do with past injuries he has had. THey may think that the inconsistant training of the two different sports is a factor. We still don't have a link or a source this is true or the true story. All speculation.
 





I wonder if he'll still show up for a few meets even though he's not on the team, like previous football players have. I remember Maroney running a couple 60s at a few meets before.
 

Each case is individual. I can't imagine a coach would ban all his football players from playing 2 sports. There is probably a good reason (an injury or academic concerns..something) DCT is not being allowed to run track. We have had successful 2 sport athletes in the past..Eric Decker did ok playing baseball and football.
 

I think track is a great sport for skill position players. Its a good way for players to build speed. Disappointed the Kill would not allow Tufts to run track. I'm not sure but I thought tufts is around 10.6/21.5 for the 100/200. That seems to me to be competitive at the B10 level. The big loser would be the track team which is one of the top programs in the Big Ten.

Omar Douglas, Chris Darkins ran track.
 

I'm stunned we're at 18 posts. DCT isn't running track because the guy who decides whether or not he gets a scholarship says "no". We can post forever and discuss the merits of running track and budgetary concerns...and DCT still won't be running track. Here we go...
 

RunGopherRun said:
True, track training and football training are not identical, but they are not entirely dissimilar, especially for a short sprinter like DCT. The football specific drills would obviously be missed, but the training for track is all explosion/acceleration/speed centered, just like the football training.

I am surprised, though, that he would not be "allowed" to run. I was under the understanding that he wanted to run, the coaches knew that he wanted to run, and that he would be part of the track team as part of his commitment to the U. This is what I had heard when he committed for football, but as I said above, things obviously changed.
Click to expand...

+1 If anyone recalls, Michigan in Bo's and Carr's(?) eras had sprinters on their football teams. Woolfolk comes to mindhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butch_Woolfolk Ted Ginn at OSU was also a sprinter. IIRC Nebraska also had dual athletes as well at the skill positions.

I friend of mine that went to Creighton University (dual athlete, track and football) back in the day said that the pre-season conditioning test was straight from a track and field workout for the DBs, RBs, and WRs. 10-400's sprints 60seconds or less with a walk jog lap in between. They also did 10-100's as well.

Like others have stated, maybe Kill will change when the program is fully up and running.
 

I'm not stunned, but I am disappointed.

Kill talks all the time about speed speed speed and lack of it on the team. Then doesn't allow a player participate in a sport that is designed to build speed. I know there is a difference between track speed and football speed, but I think its a weak stance on Kill's part.
 

ruppertflywheel said:
Didn't he pull a "ham" running track in HS? I don't blame Kill one bit.
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So did MBIII from football. You know what helped eliminate that problem? Stretching. You know who would be really good at helping with that? if not coach Klein, the T&F trainer(s).

Regarding injuries in T&F, aside from the hurdles, steeplechase and field events, the risk of injury is actually less than many football related conditioning drills.
 

Wheelwright said:
I think track is a great sport for skill position players. Its a good way for players to build speed. Disappointed the Kill would not allow Tufts to run track. I'm not sure but I thought tufts is around 10.6/21.5 for the 100/200. That seems to me to be competitive at the B10 level. The big loser would be the track team which is one of the top programs in the Big Ten.

Omar Douglas, Chris Darkins ran track.
Click to expand...

Yeah I thought Marion Barber Jr and Rick Upchurch did as well. Again, maybe it will change when Kill gets everything he wants installed, installed.
 

RunGopherRun said:
I understand that track is a non-revenue sport, but I don't think that if you took the entire track budget and shoved it at the football team that they would become an instant winner. I don't understand where this line of thinking comes from. Find me a University that excels in football because its non-revenue sports are cut off. That type of money won't come from cutting NR sports. It comes from winning in football.

Right now, and for the last 20 years, the most consistently successful sports at the U have been mainly NR (with Hockey being the only revenue sport that has won anything). I take a lot of pride in the conference championship teams that I was a part of at the U, but our budget was not anything crazy. During my time at the U, our "gear" consisted of generic Minnesota Athletic Department sweat pants, a sweatshirt, a t-shirt, cotton shorts and socks. We had to buy backpacks that said "University of Minnesota Track and Field" and jackets that said the same. Spoiled rotten with that huge budget.
Click to expand...
I agree rungopherrun. Some people complain about nonrevenue sports just as many Viking fans don't care about Gopher football. Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State do well in nonrevenue sports without hurting their football or basketball programs.
 


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