Odoms Faster than Robinson?
According to today's Michigan Daily, "Michigan held a 40-yard dash sprint race among teammates... junior Martavious Odoms won the faster heat, barely beating Robinson." surely this is a typo? Either way I am excited to see all that speed on the field this fall.
(I'm on an iPhone, otherwise I would link the article. "Spring Practice Begins, Rodriguez Talks QB's" in the notes section)
March 17th, 2010 at 12:07 PM ^
This is legit. Odoms is quicker than we thought. He doesn't have the top end speed that some guys have, but damn is he quick. PERFECT for a slot receiver.
What's with this quick/top end speed distinction? This was 40 yards in a stragiht line.
Quick is the ability to accelerate quickly in and out of cuts. 40 yards is a pretty accurate measurement of how fast someone can accelerate from a dead stop (at least in football terms). Top end speed is the ability to get going fast and to maintain it through a longer distance. This is better seen in the 100. If you break out into the open you'll want top end speed in order to maintain the distance between you and the defender so that you can make it to the goal line. If you are running shorter patterns that involve cuts, you want quickness to create space in tighter quarters. This is why slots run a lot of shorter patterns and middle of the field routes.
I understand the difference, but I don't understand why we're not labeling Odoms both. Usually 20 yards is used as the standard for what's considered a big play. 40 yards is a long way in football, if he's the fastest on the team over that distance he's fast, period.
I'm sure in the grand scheme of things that he is both. I think in his case, we label him quick for his lateral movement and short burst acceleration. It also has to do with intinct and abililty to find openings. I think Denard gets labeled with "top end speed" because he is straight line fast. He didn't have the lateral movement we may of hoped for, but if you gave him a crease he could burn anyone.
Really, in the end, this race means about as much as my reply to this thread...nothing.
First of all, I didn't say he has no top end speed, I said he doesn't have the top end speed that some guys have. 40 yards is pretty short, and if you're one of those guys who gets off the start very quickly, you're in good shape. He's fast enough that Denard couldn't catch him in 40 yards, but Odoms is the kind of guy that could get caught from behind on a long play. Once he and a fast CB are both at top speed, he's not a guy like a Mike Shaw or Fitz Toussaint who will pull away from defenders. Will it matter on most plays? Probably not. But this is often what makes the difference between a guy who is solid in college and a guy ready for the next level.
Look, I really like Tay Odoms, and I think his skill set is perfect for the slot. But I think he's the type of guy who has excellent speed over 40 yards, and just pretty good speed over the next 40.
March 17th, 2010 at 12:07 PM ^
Was offered a track schollie to Miami, I believe, but I have trouble believing that he's faster than Denard. Then again, we're talking a single race (tiniest of sample sizes).
March 17th, 2010 at 12:07 PM ^
This isn't a typo. According to RR, Odoms got a great jump and beat DR by the slimest of margins. DR is fast, but he isn't unbeatable.
according to S. Webb on WTKA.
March 17th, 2010 at 12:07 PM ^
bad week?
March 17th, 2010 at 12:10 PM ^
comments in the presser implied that Odoms had a good start and that in a longer race, Dilithium would have likely prevailed.
EDIT: someone with dilithium typing skills beat me to it. But in a longer thread, I would have likely won. Just epinion.
March 17th, 2010 at 12:11 PM ^
Given Denard's winter track performance, I don't take this is an indication that he is not as fast as expected. Rather, it is exciting news about how fast Odoms is. If we put the two of them out there together, along with some of our other talented receivers (Roundtree, Junior, and hofefully a breakout year for Stonum), so long as the line can give Tate enough protection to let the receivers do their thing, we might have a really potent offense.
March 17th, 2010 at 12:18 PM ^
My first thought is- fellow slot receiver Terrance Robinson.
[Ed]: Sorry, missed the post about RR confirming it was Denard. OP just had "Robinson". But cheers and virtual high fives all around for team speed.
March 17th, 2010 at 12:12 PM ^
Robinson's best race is the 100-m dash. It's not impossible that Odoms is faster at the 40-yd.
I still think that 9 times out 10 Robinson would beat Odoms in the 40. RR also hinted at it maybe being a fluke.
March 17th, 2010 at 12:13 PM ^
Odoms probably isn't faster than Denard when they're both going full speed. However, Odoms is plenty quick enough. He showed some wheels on that punt return TD against Purdue a couple years ago, and he got behind the Indiana defense for the game-winning TD last year.
He's not going to blow anyone away, but he's got enough speed to always be dangerous.
How often in football do you have the luxury of more than 40 yards in a straight line to reach full speed? Edit: even if Odoms only won because he got a good jump, getting a good jump in football games is important too. I don't think its fair to say Odoms has sneaky speed anymore.
March 17th, 2010 at 12:20 PM ^
OK - for everyone saying it was a fluke and Odoms would lose 9 times out of 10 to DRob, blag blah blah - here's the important thing: Even if DRob had beaten Odoms (which he didn't), Odoms still beat EVERYONE ELSE ON THE TEAM. With the speed we have on our team, the honor of "second fastest M football player" is pretty frickin impressive.
March 17th, 2010 at 12:20 PM ^
They're both top-end fast and play for MI.......I'm happy regardless of who wins a single race.
I think you meant M, UM, UofM, Michigan, Meeeechigan, or even the U.
What team are you referring to? The Michigan Granholms?
This comment was helpful.
March 17th, 2010 at 12:24 PM ^
would be a lock. This is the day we have all dreaded.
It's very clever.
Odoms won the race by a hair.
I see what you did there.
March 17th, 2010 at 12:25 PM ^
I don't remember for sure, but in that dual meet w/ OSU, didn't D-Rob get off to a relatively poor start in the 60m before ultimately prevailing?
In the presser, RR mentioned that Tay Odoms had a better jump. and beat him slightly.
March 17th, 2010 at 12:25 PM ^
that people seem kinda upset that odoms beat him!?? I personally think this is great. Everyone on this board knows how freaking fast DR is (and if you don't go watch the western video!) Hearing that odoms is becoming more explosive every year is great. Like Magnus said in the post above me Odoms has shown explosiveness in returning the punt against Purdue, and I was at the Indiana game last year when Tate and Odoms went over the top for the game winning TD pass. I just hope Odoms turns
2-3 great plays a year into 7-10.
Plus I like Blocking WR's alot and Odoms excells at this. His block to free up DR on that ridiculous run was what every coach looks for in a COMPLETE WR.
March 17th, 2010 at 12:43 PM ^
RR said something to the effect that seven players were all within a yard of each other in the 40 race, and that Odoms got a great start.
I was very happy to hear that seven guys were that close; it reaffirms my faith that the rebuilding/retooling job is almost finished. A RR team with the speed and experience to execute his vision on the field will prove to be a nightmare for most Big Ten defenses.
March 17th, 2010 at 12:55 PM ^
in the same direction at the same time. That might be enough to affect the earth's rotation. Think of the implications!
March 17th, 2010 at 12:43 PM ^
I advocate panic here.
March 17th, 2010 at 12:49 PM ^
Denard ran so fast that he circled the globe only to be beat by Odoms by the tiniest of margins his second time crossing the finish line.
March 17th, 2010 at 12:54 PM ^
The only reason he lost was that he stopped for a split second to ogle Jessica Alba as he came ashore in Malibu.
+1 for ogle
Odoms is my favorite player on this team. This makes me happy.
Anyone have an idea of who the other 5 of the 7 who were close were?
I'm guessing if there was any info on that, they would already be listed. I'd still like to here some speculation though.
If I were to pick 5, I'd probably say:
Fitz
Shaw
Woolfolk
Teric Jones
TRob/Stonum/Stokes/Mesko
Anyone remember the 2008 Minny game when Mike Shaw busted out a big run? the thing I remember most about that run was Odoms flying down the sideline trying to get a block, the dude was moving pretty effing fast.
I'm surprised. I remember watching him return the punt for a TD in the 2008 PU game and being surprised that he couldn't pull away in the open field a little more easily (though he did end up scoring anyway). I wonder if he was a little banged up at the time.
He was banged up a little bit throughout his freshman year since he played almost every single down. I remember Rodriguez saying that after the year. But he was only a freshman, so maybe he got a tad faster in the 1.5 years since then.
I'd like to see 10-yard split times for the both of them. You'd probably see Odoms beat DRob to 10, but from 30-40, DRob would have Odoms beat.