So the first winter football training session in the new Student Athlete Performance Center is done, and the first season of Spring Football starts next week. We generally seem to agree that the SAPC appears to be making a difference in recruitment, but more important, will it make a difference when the players hit the field?

I've heard/seen many reports of guys setting new PR's (Personal Records) in the weight room and in conditioning/speed drills after winter testing. Hell, that video of Eddington pushing up 465 is pretty damn impressive!

As we move toward the Spring Game, and ultimately next Fall, will we see a stronger, more durable product on the field? Will there be fewer significant injuries, and will we notice quicker recovery times? Will we see linemen pushing guys around more, skill position players with greater endurance, and a noticeably greater sense of physicality throughout the season?

Perhaps it's expecting too much in one year, but in my mind, the proof of the value of the new facility should start to show as early as this Spring.

I think our strength and conditioning staff do a solid job.

(03-04-2020 12:36 PM)emu79 Wrote:  I think our strength and conditioning staff do a solid job.

I agree. I'm just curious to see how the new facilities might help their efforts. If you hand Carlos Santana a $50 Walmart guitar, he'd make it sound pretty damn good. Hand him a $12,000 PRS, and he'll blow you away. In the hands of an artist, good equipment can make a HUGE difference. That's what I'm praying we'll see with the new SAPC.

And don't forget that there are strength and conditioning facilities at both the Convo and SAPC. Increased capacity = less problems for other athletes.

(03-04-2020 01:12 PM)cidbearit Wrote:  

(03-04-2020 12:36 PM)emu79 Wrote:  I think our strength and conditioning staff do a solid job.

I agree. I'm just curious to see how the new facilities might help their efforts. If you hand Carlos Santana a $50 Walmart guitar, he'd make it sound pretty damn good. Hand him a $12,000 PRS, and he'll blow you away. In the hands of an artist, good equipment can make a HUGE difference. That's what I'm praying we'll see with the new SAPC.

perception shapes reality too. people (myself included) like new and shiny things.

Remember every team puts on 20 lbs of muscle and loses 2 tenths of a second off their 40 in Winter conditioning.

(03-05-2020 08:28 AM)fanfrompowellspub Wrote:  Remember every team puts on 20 lbs of muscle and loses 2 tenths of a second off their 40 in Winter conditioning.

Based on what I'm hearing form Alex, a lot of guys (including him personally) made great gains in the weight room, have dropped weight, and are setting new PR's in the 40, pro shuttle, and vertical leap. IT sounds like the trainers are managing conditioning well, and the coaches are really watching weight gain closely. For Alex, he is as strong as he has ever been, is quicker than ever, and is at a weight he hasn't seen since before senior year in high school. And it seems he is not alone in those categories.

(03-04-2020 01:12 PM)cidbearit Wrote:  

(03-04-2020 12:36 PM)emu79 Wrote:  I think our strength and conditioning staff do a solid job.

I agree. I'm just curious to see how the new facilities might help their efforts. If you hand Carlos Santana a $50 Walmart guitar, he'd make it sound pretty damn good. Hand him a $12,000 PRS, and he'll blow you away. In the hands of an artist, good equipment can make a HUGE difference. That's what I'm praying we'll see with the new SAPC.

He would blow you away with SE Custom for about
$11,200 less. Just like anything, there is a law of diminishing returns with what you pay for a guitar.

(03-05-2020 11:20 AM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(03-04-2020 01:12 PM)cidbearit Wrote:  

(03-04-2020 12:36 PM)emu79 Wrote:  I think our strength and conditioning staff do a solid job.

I agree. I'm just curious to see how the new facilities might help their efforts. If you hand Carlos Santana a $50 Walmart guitar, he'd make it sound pretty damn good. Hand him a $12,000 PRS, and he'll blow you away. In the hands of an artist, good equipment can make a HUGE difference. That's what I'm praying we'll see with the new SAPC.

He would blow you away with SE Custom for about
$11,200 less. Just like anything, there is a law of diminishing returns with what you pay for a guitar.

Rocket we just ain't Toledo. We have been playing with that $50 Walmart guitar for years. Our coaches are lucky to make half of what you guys pay yours. I admire your program but EMU is far from the point of diminishing returns on our athletic investments.

(03-05-2020 07:46 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  

(03-05-2020 11:20 AM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(03-04-2020 01:12 PM)cidbearit Wrote:  

(03-04-2020 12:36 PM)emu79 Wrote:  I think our strength and conditioning staff do a solid job.

I agree. I'm just curious to see how the new facilities might help their efforts. If you hand Carlos Santana a $50 Walmart guitar, he'd make it sound pretty damn good. Hand him a $12,000 PRS, and he'll blow you away. In the hands of an artist, good equipment can make a HUGE difference. That's what I'm praying we'll see with the new SAPC.

He would blow you away with SE Custom for about
$11,200 less. Just like anything, there is a law of diminishing returns with what you pay for a guitar.

Rocket we just ain't Toledo. We have been playing with that $50 Walmart guitar for years. Our coaches are lucky to make half of what you guys pay yours. I admire your program but EMU is far from the point of diminishing returns on our athletic investments.

I was actually talking about the PRS. I actually have
played guitar for about half century. Glad to see your
new and upgraded facilities. Some of those P5 facilities are overblown. I don't think some of the bells and whistles are needed to turn out great athletes.

(03-05-2020 08:15 PM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(03-05-2020 07:46 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  

(03-05-2020 11:20 AM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(03-04-2020 01:12 PM)cidbearit Wrote:  

(03-04-2020 12:36 PM)emu79 Wrote:  I think our strength and conditioning staff do a solid job.

I agree. I'm just curious to see how the new facilities might help their efforts. If you hand Carlos Santana a $50 Walmart guitar, he'd make it sound pretty damn good. Hand him a $12,000 PRS, and he'll blow you away. In the hands of an artist, good equipment can make a HUGE difference. That's what I'm praying we'll see with the new SAPC.

He would blow you away with SE Custom for about
$11,200 less. Just like anything, there is a law of diminishing returns with what you pay for a guitar.

Rocket we just ain't Toledo. We have been playing with that $50 Walmart guitar for years. Our coaches are lucky to make half of what you guys pay yours. I admire your program but EMU is far from the point of diminishing returns on our athletic investments.

I was actually talking about the PRS. I actually have
played guitar for about half century. Glad to see your
new and upgraded facilities. Some of those P5 facilities are overblown. I don't think some of the bells and whistles are needed to turn out great athletes.

I thank you for contributing to our site, sir.

This is behind a paywall (you can probably get a free trail), but The Athletic ranked the top 15 coaches in the Group of 5, and Chris Creighton came in at #11: https://theathletic.com/1657427/2020/03/...-rankings/

"11. Chris Creighton, Eastern Michigan

He’s one of two coaches on this list with a losing record at his school (28-47), but even keeping Creighton out of the top 10 was difficult. EMU was by far the least-successful program in FBS when he took over, and Creighton has led the Eagles to three bowl games in four years, which seemed impossible when he arrived. Creighton has been successful everywhere he’s been, winning multiple conference championships at Ottawa (NAIA), Wabash (Division III) and Drake (FCS). He’s 164-93 overall as a coach, but look past the numbers when evaluating the most successful run at EMU in more than two decades."

Interesting! Just to fully understand the Athletic's methods, where did they rank Frank Solich?

Lance Leipold came in 4th and Frank Solich came in 6th.