The mystery behind SEC speed unearthed:

Submitted by Sommy on
Everyone knows that the SEC is the best conference in the world because they are the fastest -- I know I've caught myself watching a college football game or two in my day and thinking that I had somehow thrown my Tivo into 32X fast forward only to realize I was just watching Florida play LSU. But the question remains, "Why is the SEC so fast?"

Is it genetic?

Nah, couldn't be -- athletes in D1 programs are generally of pretty diverse backgrounds.

Climate?

I suppose climate could contribute to overall endurance and conditioning, but top-end speed? That just doesn't make sense.

Divine right of passage?

Well, I don't doubt this, but I think the more plausible answer just may lie in this Tennessee blog:

Ohio State Gets Juiced, by SEC Speed in the Big Ten Your Mother Slept With Wilt Chamberlain

Ohio State Gets Juiced, by SEC Speed in the Big Ten

Posted by Thomas the Terrible on November 11, 2007

SEC speed wins again.

Jim Tressel must come back to reality now. After being nut-punched by Florida in the 2006 championship game, Ron Zook brought his Illinois team, or as I like to call them, the mini Gators, to the Horseshoe to show Jim Tressel that the speed of the SEC even rules in Big Eleven Ten play.

Juice Williams made some big plays on the ground and through the air, guiding Illinois to a stunning 28-21 using SEC speed and mucking up the national title race yet again this season.

I didn't understand at first, since Illinois is another Big Ten team, and then it hit me -- the mere concept of speed is actually owned and licensed by the SEC! In order to beat OSU, Illinois merely had to find a way to harness SEC speed! Zook, being the Prometheus-like SEC expatriate he is, brought speed from the Gods to his people.

Now if only the rest of the conference could just figure out how to do this -- I'm think there's a lease of some sort involved.
SEC Speed
being fast
defying the sound barrier
Mach 4

Comments

Onas

August 25th, 2008 at 8:38 AM ^

Yes, before the SEC's groundbreaking work the notion of players running faster had never dawned upon college football. In only the last 10-15 years the SEC has brought this new art to the forefront. To honor their seminal work the word speed will now be replaced with SEC Speed in all circumstances. Be thankful that the conference has graciously chosen not to charge a royalty.

Furthermore, any person or persons finding success by moving faster in any capacity are emulating the SEC. If a person runs to avoid getting hit by a car, that person just had their life saved by the SEC! If a rocket accelerates to escape the Earth's gravitational pull, the SEC just put a man into space! The SEC won Usain Bolt a gold metal and a World Record.

Joined: 06/30/2008

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AKWolverine47

August 25th, 2008 at 9:10 AM ^

Speed kills. And I finally get to witness it as a Michigan fan. The Big Ten better adapt to Michigan's newfound SEC Speed or forever lay in it's dust. The Big Ten, Utah and Notre Dame all will be taking their shots at U of M this year, thinking they'll be "down". The following quote of Bob Ufer resonated with me, "Oh They Came to Bury Michigan, But Michigan Wasn't Dead"! Go Blue.

Joined: 08/25/2008

MGoPoints: 1

mjv

August 25th, 2008 at 10:52 AM ^

Percy Harvin's SEC Speed got caught from behind by a "slow" Michigan/Big Ten corner on New Year's Day. And didn't McFadden get caught by Wisconsin's CB ikeqwuefa (I don't know how to spell his name) on New Year's Day 2007? It's not speed, its coaching. We looked slow in the Horror, because we were constantly out of position or taking incorrect angles. We looked fast against Florida because we were better prepared. Ohio State has looked slow in the last two NC games because Sweeter Vest was out coached. Even then, Ginn looked pretty damn fast before his teammates took him out against Florida.

Joined: 06/30/2008

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Jim Harbaugh S…

August 25th, 2008 at 2:01 PM ^

the SEC speed when Ginn left every gator in the dust on that opening kick return? Call me crazy but didn't Beanie Wells also run away from an SEC defense?

Ohio State has looked slow in the last two NC games because Sweeter Vest was out coached.

Bingo.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 577

tigersjunkie

August 25th, 2008 at 3:14 PM ^

Yes, Ginn did have SEC speed, but apparently only those in the SEC are allowed to have SEC speed.  The SEC givith and the SEC taketh away.  According to the SEC, Michigan has never beaten a SEC team because the SEC is just too fast.  As for Ohio State, they just have never beaten a SEC team. 

Joined: 08/15/2008

MGoPoints: 33

Jack

August 25th, 2008 at 10:47 PM ^

... that General Motors is looking into harnessing SEC speed as a power source for their hybrid cars. One 4.3 40-yard-dash is roughly equivalent to a 25% increase in vehicle horsepower, if I remember correctly.

Joined: 08/12/2008

MGoPoints: 60

adoddere

August 26th, 2008 at 9:53 AM ^

One commentor noted that fast guys look slow when they don't react quickly enough and get to the right spot on time, i.e., speed can be coached to some extent. I think there is something else contributing to the notion. Clearly, other conferences have guys who are every bit as fast or faster than anyone in the SEC (see MFT and Ginn examples noted above). But I think SEC teams, more than anyone else, have emphasized speed in selecting athletes in the past 10-15 years at every other position. Their skill guys are no faster than our skill guys, but the LB's, d-linemen and o-linemen (and even safeties) tend to be smaller, quicker, faster guys. I think we have been witnessing a shift nationally to that way of thinking for the last several years. We are certainly beginning to see it at Michigan with RR. I know the SEC speed thing is way overblown, but I do not think it's an absolute falsity.

Joined: 07/18/2008

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