Herschel and Bo Would be Very Average Today

[GatorTAG]

I posted this in the Freshman OL thread that compared our '96 OL to todays OL which showed how much bigger kids are today than back then. But its really a different discussion.

I was watching a 30 by 30 on Herschel Walker a while back and during his freshman season and I noticed how small defensive players were back then. This was UGA's National Championship winning defense.

LE: Robert Miles, 6-4, 230, Sr.
TKL: Jimmy Payne, 6-4, 238, So.
LG: Eddie Weaver, 6-1, 264, Jr
RG: Tim Crowe, 6-1, 230, So.
(5) Joe Creamons, 6-2, 240, Jr.
(6) RE: Pat McShea, 6-2, 220, Sr.
WLB: Nate Taylor, 5-11, 198, So.
MLB: Frank Ros, 6-1, 215, Sr.
LC: Scott Woerner, 6-0, 188, Sr.
ROV: Chris Welton, 6-1, 190, Sr.
SAF: Jeff Hipp, 6-3, 190, Sr.
RC: Mike Fisher, 6-0, 173, Sr.
P: Mark Malkiewicz, 6-2, 200, Sr.

Look at the size of their linebackers. Herschel was 6'2" 220lb. RB. He was as big or bigger than most of the defensive linemen he went against. It makes you wonder if he would be that good going against the defenses of today. My bet is that he would look very average. This could probably be said for Bo Jackson as well. They were special athletes in their day but it makes you wonder.

Discuss.

 

[Gator Fever]

Hard to say but once Walker got to the NFL against larger players he did OK but was pretty stiff in his running the opposite of someone like E. Smith. He probably always ran pretty stiff but in college he could just plow through defenders at will. Jim Brown frame wise looked bigger than a lot of the linemen back in his NFL days.

 

[WobbleGator]

Bo Jackson was killing it in the NFL until his injury, so your comment on Bo is probably wrong.

 

[WobbleGator]

Also, how can you explain running backs doing well who are smaller than Walker and Bo? Shouldn't their stats be much lower?

 

[ufgator812]

The OP is smoking crack.

 

[GatorTAG]

I would imagine that if the college players were that small in the '80's so were the NFL players. As compared to today's NFL players. So just because Bo was killing it in the NFL he wasn't playing against NFL players the size and speed if today's guys. Its all relative to the era they played in.

 

[GatorTAG]

The OP is smoking crack.

:moon:

 

[WobbleGator]

So explain why smaller backs of today are putting up big numbers then.

 

[Circle City Gator]

These conversations are silly, because they always assume the athletes of old, if they were playing today would not have today's training programs.

 

[GatorTAG]

These conversations are silly, because they always assume the athletes of old, if they were playing today would not have today's training programs.

Today's training programs has evidently taken '80s linebackers that weighed 195#-220#'s and made them 230#-260#'s today. How do you think these training programs would have affected Bo and Herschel?

 

[WobbleGator]

Today's training programs has evidently taken '80s linebackers that weighed 195#-220#'s and made them 230#-260#'s today. How do you think these training programs would have affected Bo and Herschel?

Why do you continue to ignore my question?

 

[GatorTAG]

Why do you continue to ignore my question?

Because its not relevant to this discussion about 2 of the greatest big backs that made their hay running over guys that were for the most part smaller than them.

Stay on topic.

 

[WobbleGator]

Because its not relevant to this discussion about 2 of the greatest big backs that made their hay running over guys that were for the most part smaller than them.

Stay on topic.

But my point is that if the smaller backs can put up huge numbers now, what makes you think that great big backs like Bo and Herschel could not do the same thing?

 

[Concrete Helmet]

I would imagine that if the college players were that small in the '80's so were the NFL players. As compared to today's NFL players. So just because Bo was killing it in the NFL he wasn't playing against NFL players the size and speed if today's guys. Its all relative to the era they played in.

Brian Bosworth was every bit of 240# and Bo made him look silly. Herschel was "know" Bo...

 

[oxrageous]

Both of those runners would have been completely dominant in any era. They had an astounding mixture of power and speed.

 

[AlexDaGator]

Couple of points:

The two best NFL teams in the 90s were the Cowboys and the Niners. The Cowboys had the biggest OL in the league, the Niners had the smallest. Both offenses were effective in running the ball and pass blocking for their QB. Both lines were very good at what they did. The Cowboys' linemen couldn't start on the Niners OL and vice versa. But both were excellent in the same era despite their size differences.

Two identical twins, Tiki and Ronde Barber. One was a CB, the other was a RB. By the end of their careers, their bodies were significantly different. That's the same DNA in the same era with the same nutrition and strength and conditioning. Because they played different positions, they developed their bodies in different ways. So do you think that maybe if Jim Brown, Herschel, or Bo were playing today, their bodies might not look different?

I suspect in today's game, Herschel might be a pass rushing LB and an absolutely dominant one at that. What Tackle would be able to backpedal fast enough to pick him up streaking around the edge on his way to the QB? And even if one did, Herschel is strong enough to toss him aside. Herschel was less fluid than Bo, more of a brute. Bo would still be a RB and in the pro bowl regularly. He had a better first step and was just slicker. But remember, Herschel had a ton of yardage catching the ball out of the backfield and on KO returns. Maybe Herschel would be a modern TE? Anyway.

Let me try to put this in perspective for you. Herschel and Bo were just a tad smaller than Matt Jones. So in today's game, they would be about as good as Matt Jones, right? WRONG.

Herschel ran track at UGA too. He was on their SEC Championship 4x100 relay team. UF has had RBs run track too, guys like Demps and Rainey. Not guys Matt Jones' size. Herschel and Bo were great football players, period. And if you think Herschel was fast, Bo ran a 4.12. Let that sink in for a moment. 4.12. Rainey ran a 4.45 at the combine which is very fast for a RB.

So, uh, yeah. Those boys could play today and be dominant (at several positions).

Alex.

 

[crosscreekcooter]

Herschel could compete today at 50 sumthin. Dude is still a..... Brick..........Howzz

the dude is stacked and that's a fact
ain't holdin nuthin back

 

[GatorJB]

Both Walker and Jackson would still be amazing RB's in today's game. Silly to think otherwise.

Also, I still consider Jim Brown to be the best RB of all-time. If he hadn't retired early, he would have held unbreakable rushing records, and I don't doubt that he would still be great against today's defenses either.

 

[WDCGator]

OP is entitled to his opinion, but he's wrong.

 

[Concrete Helmet]

Also, I still consider Jim Brown to be the best RB of all-time. If he hadn't retired early,

Two other guys to add to that list would be Gale Sayers and Billy Sims.