I was thinking about this. The X's and O's of football have changed through the years, especially with the high scoring offenses that we didn't see so much of 20 years ago.

 

But, has the high school player changed over the years? For example, is the same 5'11", 185 pound linebacker as effective today as he was 20 years ago. I know that it is all relative and that as the kids have gotten bigger, faster and stronger that the competition has had to keep up.

 

Is an athletic kid who likes contact still enough in high school football? Does that prototype span the generations?

 

I am serious, has the "type" of kid playing football changed through the years?

With the advances made on the X's and O's side of things, I believe that the biggest difference between today's athlete and athletes of the past is football IQ. It seems that a lot of todays players have a deeper understanding of the new offenses and defenses. And, that comes from coaching. Teams' attacks are much more intricate than they used to be and that, in my opinion, is the biggest difference.

 

Conceeding the fact that players are bigger, faster and stronger, I believe that players are just smarter...in terms of football IQ.

Conceeding the fact that players are bigger, faster and stronger, I believe that players are just smarter...in terms of football IQ.

 

Football is now a year round sport, unlike 20 years ago. Practice starts in July and the season runs until November (early December for some), weightlifting goes through the winter and spring, then spring practice, then summer camps and passing leagues, then the cycle repeats itself. Football players can't help but be better now due to being around football so much.

Football is now a year round sport, unlike 20 years ago. Practice starts in July and the season runs until November (early December for some), weightlifting goes through the winter and spring, then spring practice, then summer camps and passing leagues, then the cycle repeats itself. Football players can't help but be better now due to being around football so much.

 

 

I understand better. Better coached, better conditioned, etc.

 

But are they different?

 

Going a little further on InTheLoop's comments, would certain players of yesteryear who may not have been too bright, be less effective in today's multiple-set-thick-playbook offenses or the complicated defenses that are used to stop them?

 

Are athletic ability and a craving for contact still the most important assets in high school football?

Physically, kids are bigger, stronger, and faster. The game itself is therefore swifter. I also think that the "X's and O's" of the game has been altered by the abilities of players, in addition to technology and rules changes.

 

There is an interesting theory that you will laugh about regarding the impact of air conditioning on the game. As little kids, less and less people are going outside and spending all day in the sun. They stay inside more in the air conditioning, and therefore are less acclamated to the heat and humidity on a regular basis. Increases in technology have also decreased outdoor labor. In any event, it SEEMS like more and more high school players are affected negatively by heat and humidity and there conditioning has suffered. I don't know whether I take any stock in this theory or not.

 

It is documented that we are in a cycle of the worst tackling technique in the game's history.

 

As far as the "type" of kid, I don't know whether that can be quantified. We've all played with the aloof QB with ice in his veins, we've all played with the Bill Romanowski who is out to maim, we've all played with the RB who won't practice to save his life, but on gameday is unstoppable. I don't think any of that is any different.

There is an interesting theory that you will laugh about regarding the impact of air conditioning on the game. As little kids, less and less people are going outside and spending all day in the sun. They stay inside more in the air conditioning, and therefore are less acclamated to the heat and humidity on a regular basis. Increases in technology have also decreased outdoor labor. In any event, it SEEMS like more and more high school players are affected negatively by heat and humidity and there conditioning has suffered.

 

 

.....and video games. Recently, my youngest son told me about the great tackle he made ON A VIDEO GAME. I said, "Hey, you have great thumbs but let's see what you can do outside in real life."

 

That was the last straw for me and I started organizing neighborhood football games. When the arguing about being out-of-bounds or not over the imaginary goal line got too bad, I bought striping equipment and endzone pylons and laid out a half-scale size football field in the backyard. We have games every Sunday now from after the Bear's games until dark. Then, if they are still froggy, I will play "Capture the Fort" or "Prison Break" with them on the backyard playset. I am tempted to put the video games in the dumpster.

 

I don't necessarily think kids are softer today but they do have many luxuries that many of us didn't have growing up. When I was a kid, we usually weren't allowed to play in the house, nor did we want to. However, when we were snowed in or it was too cold or rainy to go outside, my brother and I would play football on our knees in the family room. The tv was the touchdown on one end and the couch on the other end. Rug burns were commonplace. It was either football or fighting; we weren't allowed to play nerf basketball after breaking a door!

IT`s John Maddens fault ...GOOD or BAD....

 

Many players have a very high IQ about the "X`s" @ "O`s" from spending hours on end playing "NFL Madden 2006" and games like that. I have heard some of them make coments about the simple highschool formations.

On the other hand they may be out of shape from laying around using their thumbs.

Football is always about Jim's & joe's. If you have the players you can do whatever and win.

Football is now a year round sport, unlike 20 years ago. Practice starts in July and the season runs until November (early December for some), weightlifting goes through the winter and spring, then spring practice, then summer camps and passing leagues, then the cycle repeats itself. Football players can't help but be better now due to being around football so much.

That is the biggest difference I see also.

You could write Russell's playbook on a napkin. Its all about the athletes and fundamentals.