From OnlineAthens.com
June 9th, 2016 02:57 PM
Herschel Walker.
The name automatically conjures up words like football legend and Heisman Trophy-winning running back for Georgia fans.
Back in April, Walker was recognized not for what he did at Sanford Stadium but for Georgia's track and field team.
“Things have changed so much today where almost every sport is year round,” Walker said during a meet at the Spec Towns Track. “It’s sad that it’s become that because now if you’re doing one sport you really don’t have the time to do another one.”
Walker was an indoor track All-American in 1982 in the 60-yard dash and an outdoor All-American in 1981 as part of the 4X100-meter relay.
He is fourth all-time on Georgia’s indoor track list in the 55-meter dash at 6.23 seconds and sixth in the 100 meters at 10.23 in 1982 and part of a third fastest all-time at Georgia in the 4X100 meter relay.
That was in an era when being a college football player wasn’t quite the nearly 12-month time commitment that it is these days.
There are some exceptions.
Five current or former FBS football players qualified in the 110-meter hurdles at this week’s NCAA track and field championships in Eugene, Ore., as USA Today noted. They include Alabama’s Tony Brown, a reserve cornerback on Kirby Smart’s defense last season, who is in Friday’s final.
Georgia last had a football player compete on the Bulldogs track and field team in 2014 when wide receiver Reggie Davis tied for 16th at the SEC championships in the 100 meter dash with a time of 10.70, but Smart is open to two-sport athletes on the football team.
“I love it, to be honest with you, because if they’re good enough to run track, that means they’re really good for us,” Smart said.
Marlon Humphrey, a starting Alabama cornerback last season, ran track for the Crimson Tide in 2015.
“What I’m saying is if they’re able to do both in college that means they’re a really special athlete,” Smart said. “We want a really special athlete. I’m great with that. The issue is the kids that think they can but probably can’t.”
Freshman tight end Charlie Woerner won the Georgia 2A state discus title last month in Jefferson for Rabun County but has no plans to continue with it in college.
“I don’t think I’m good enough,” Woerner said. “You’ve got to be a stud.”
Georgia freshman wide receiver Tyler Simmons from McEachern drew recruiting interest from Indiana for track and spoke to Alabama about playing football and running track.
He said he has interest in running at UGA.
“I feel like if I’d be good enough to get points at SEC championships or nationals, it’s something I would do,” Simmons said.
Mecole Hardman, the incoming freshman defensive back from Elbert County who was 247Sports No. 1 rated athlete, said he had not talked to Georgia coaches about track and field but would consider it. He was second in the AAA 100 meters and long jump and third in the triple jump.
Before Davis, running back Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall ran at a Georgia indoor meet and wide receiver Justin Scott-Wesley also ran track. Defensive lineman Ray Drew threw the discus in 2012 and 2013. Wide receiver Reggie Brown ran the 60 meter hurdles in 2001 and Demiko Goodman ran the 400 in 2005.
Former NFL All-Pro cornerback Champ Bailey still holds the Georgia indoor long jump record of 25-10.75 and is fifth in the outdoor long jump at 25-8.75
In April’s NFL draft, 28 of 31 first round picks played multiple sports in high school and 12 were three-sport athletes, according to USA Football. Basketball was the most popular additional sport with 18 and track was second with 17.
Georgia 2017 quarterback commitment Jake Fromm from Houston County helped lead that school’s baseball team to the state championship last month, but the Elite 11 selection’s future seems to be in football.
“You become specialized,” Walker said. “It’s sad that it’s like that but that’s what this world has come to today.”
Tight end Jay Rome was on the Georgia basketball team for a season early in his college career.
Hardman and Simmons said the time commitment for football would make running track more difficult.
“Looking at it as far as doing two sports in college, it is a little tough because doing track you’ve got to sacrifice some of spring (practices),” said Simmons, who finished fourth in the 6A 100 meters. “Other than that, I’d think you could be just fine. You could use one of them to get in shape for the other and vice versa.”
...READ MORE HERE...
June 9th, 2016 02:57 PM
Herschel Walker.
The name automatically conjures up words like football legend and Heisman Trophy-winning running back for Georgia fans.
Back in April, Walker was recognized not for what he did at Sanford Stadium but for Georgia's track and field team.
“Things have changed so much today where almost every sport is year round,” Walker said during a meet at the Spec Towns Track. “It’s sad that it’s become that because now if you’re doing one sport you really don’t have the time to do another one.”
Walker was an indoor track All-American in 1982 in the 60-yard dash and an outdoor All-American in 1981 as part of the 4X100-meter relay.
He is fourth all-time on Georgia’s indoor track list in the 55-meter dash at 6.23 seconds and sixth in the 100 meters at 10.23 in 1982 and part of a third fastest all-time at Georgia in the 4X100 meter relay.
That was in an era when being a college football player wasn’t quite the nearly 12-month time commitment that it is these days.
There are some exceptions.
Five current or former FBS football players qualified in the 110-meter hurdles at this week’s NCAA track and field championships in Eugene, Ore., as USA Today noted. They include Alabama’s Tony Brown, a reserve cornerback on Kirby Smart’s defense last season, who is in Friday’s final.
Georgia last had a football player compete on the Bulldogs track and field team in 2014 when wide receiver Reggie Davis tied for 16th at the SEC championships in the 100 meter dash with a time of 10.70, but Smart is open to two-sport athletes on the football team.
“I love it, to be honest with you, because if they’re good enough to run track, that means they’re really good for us,” Smart said.
Marlon Humphrey, a starting Alabama cornerback last season, ran track for the Crimson Tide in 2015.
“What I’m saying is if they’re able to do both in college that means they’re a really special athlete,” Smart said. “We want a really special athlete. I’m great with that. The issue is the kids that think they can but probably can’t.”
Freshman tight end Charlie Woerner won the Georgia 2A state discus title last month in Jefferson for Rabun County but has no plans to continue with it in college.
“I don’t think I’m good enough,” Woerner said. “You’ve got to be a stud.”
Georgia freshman wide receiver Tyler Simmons from McEachern drew recruiting interest from Indiana for track and spoke to Alabama about playing football and running track.
He said he has interest in running at UGA.
“I feel like if I’d be good enough to get points at SEC championships or nationals, it’s something I would do,” Simmons said.
Mecole Hardman, the incoming freshman defensive back from Elbert County who was 247Sports No. 1 rated athlete, said he had not talked to Georgia coaches about track and field but would consider it. He was second in the AAA 100 meters and long jump and third in the triple jump.
Before Davis, running back Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall ran at a Georgia indoor meet and wide receiver Justin Scott-Wesley also ran track. Defensive lineman Ray Drew threw the discus in 2012 and 2013. Wide receiver Reggie Brown ran the 60 meter hurdles in 2001 and Demiko Goodman ran the 400 in 2005.
Former NFL All-Pro cornerback Champ Bailey still holds the Georgia indoor long jump record of 25-10.75 and is fifth in the outdoor long jump at 25-8.75
In April’s NFL draft, 28 of 31 first round picks played multiple sports in high school and 12 were three-sport athletes, according to USA Football. Basketball was the most popular additional sport with 18 and track was second with 17.
Georgia 2017 quarterback commitment Jake Fromm from Houston County helped lead that school’s baseball team to the state championship last month, but the Elite 11 selection’s future seems to be in football.
“You become specialized,” Walker said. “It’s sad that it’s like that but that’s what this world has come to today.”
Tight end Jay Rome was on the Georgia basketball team for a season early in his college career.
Hardman and Simmons said the time commitment for football would make running track more difficult.
“Looking at it as far as doing two sports in college, it is a little tough because doing track you’ve got to sacrifice some of spring (practices),” said Simmons, who finished fourth in the 6A 100 meters. “Other than that, I’d think you could be just fine. You could use one of them to get in shape for the other and vice versa.”
...READ MORE HERE...
