I know track is a big deal to him, but I don't see why the school matters, he will still win races no matter where he goes.. its an individual sport..
FSU offers coaching, training, accountability, and competition. If Darby wants to TRY to be an Olympic-level sprinter (nothing close to a guarantee), and is willing to quit football and a better education to pursue that dream, then FSU may be a better choice.
I agree that the marginal benefits of a top-tier track program diminish significantly if you are a football first athlete. Even if there were time to train your body for both, which there is not, you can't. The two regimens are in competition with each other physiologically. Pro football players obviously train to be as fast as they can, but it is a different kind of speed. Football is primarily concerned with acceleration and explosiveness, since (for example):
- 95% of plays are too short to be at top speed...
- You have to be ready to get hit during the play
- You may have to tackle someone
- You might be protecting the ball
- You might have to jump/dodge/or change direction
There might be twice a season for super-speedsters that they get to run in a straight line for more than 40 yards.
Track is about getting to full speed in an unimpeded manner and holding it on a flat, smooth, unimpeded surface. The difference between the training is one of the reason track guys are always pulling/tweaking/spraining stuff when they play a differnt sport.
If Darby wants to go to the NFL and, at the same time, graduate from a top university that will takes faith and morality seriously and surround him with good kids, while allowing him to compete at track at a high level, then ND is the better choice.
