Which Conference has the BIGGEST Players?

[cloverleaf]

Large is good...at least it has been for the Southeastern Conference. When you take the average height and weight and break it down for each team in the Power 5 conferences, here's what you get.

*The SEC has the largest players (on average) at 237 pounds. Alabama has the heaviest players in the nation standing over 6-2 and weighing 247 pounds.

*The ACC is second with players averaging 229 pounds. Clemson has the heaviest players averaging 236 pounds.

*The Pac 12 is third with players averaging 227 pounds. Stanford leads the conference averaging 236 pounds.

*The Big Ten and Big 12 each come in at 225 pounds. Oklahoma leads the Big 12 at 232 pounds and surprise, surprise, Indiana leads the Big Ten at 236 pounds.

What does having the "Biggest" players mean? I don't know because without some speed and ability on those big frames...not a hell of a lot.

Welcome your comments..............

 

[GoSooners]

I think Saban uses a certain strategy for recruiting players. They have to meet a certain height and weight requirement for the position they play or he doesn't recruit them. I don't know if this is still the case. But it's the same type of system they use in the NFL, with maybe just a few exceptions.

 

[cloverleaf]

You are right on GS.

A good example is linebacker. You don't see any 5'11" or 6 foot backers at Alabama. Another good example is defensive backs. Saban likes to recruit taller DB's than most other coaches.

Keep in mind Alabama has one of the best weight/strength programs in the nation.

 

[rolltide]

even if not saban recruits some of the most impactful players in his early bama years were undersized guys like Anders (6'2" 222 lb LB ... we now have WR larger than him), maze (5'8" 175 lb WR/returner), Arenas (5'8" CB/returner), Tinker (6' 220lb center/snapper) ....

not even sure the current staff would even recruit any of those players right now but they helped earn a crystal football that's for sure

if (well, when) the big 5 conference split off I think you'll see a big increase in scholarships and allow the blue blood programs to take some shots on players like Javi Arenas where, right now, they wouldn't be given a legit look. of course Bama was anything but a blue blood program when Mike Shula found Javi after three blue bloods (FSU, FLA, MIA) didn't offer him a scholarship

btw, eryk anders is now an MMA fighter. should have seen that coming the way he molested Garrett Gilbert in Passadena

 

[cloverleaf]

Back when I was a young pup (12 or 13) Alabama won the 1961 national championship with barely a player over 200 pounds. The defense was one of the best in college football history allowing just 25 points in 11 games. Linebackers Lee Roy Jordan (190) and Darwin Holt (178) made tackles all over the field. If I remember correctly, the heaviest lineman was All-American tackle Billy Neighbors who weight no more than 210. Charlie Pell the other tackle weighed about 190 and both guards (Jimmy Wilson and Jimmy Sharp) weighed less than 190. The ends (Tommy Brooker, Bill Battle and Richard Williamson) all were less than 200 during that 1961 season.

Good heavens how times have changed. On this years roster, Bama has linebackers that weigh 258, 250, 254, 268, 243, 257, and 262 just to name a few.

From 1958 to after the 1971 Orange Bowl where a big Nebraska team (out weighted Bama 35 plus pounds per man) and just manhandled Alabama's little lineman. Coach Bryant would recruit a ton of fullback/linebackers and make lineman out of them. He always thought he could out quick other teams and did for many, many, years. After that Nebraska mugging, he decided he needed bigger players to go up against the huge offensive and defensive lines.

 

[TyBounce]

Back when I was a young pup (12 or 13) Alabama won the 1961 national championship with barely a player over 200 pounds. The defense was one of the best in college football history allowing just 25 points in 11 games. Linebackers Lee Roy Jordan (190) and Darwin Holt (178) made tackles all over the field. If I remember correctly, the heaviest lineman was All-American tackle Billy Neighbors who weight no more than 210. Charlie Pell the other tackle weighed about 190 and both guards (Jimmy Wilson and Jimmy Sharp) weighed less than 190. The ends (Tommy Brooker, Bill Battle and Richard Williamson) all were less than 200 during that 1961 season.

Good heavens how times have changed. On this years roster, Bama has linebackers that weigh 258, 250, 254, 268, 243, 257, and 262 just to name a few.

From 1958 to after the 1971 Orange Bowl where a big Nebraska team (out weighted Bama 35 plus pounds per man) and just manhandled Alabama's little lineman. Coach Bryant would recruit a ton of fullback/linebackers and make lineman out of them. He always thought he could out quick other teams and did for many, many, years. After that Nebraska mugging, he decided he needed bigger players to go up against the huge offensive and defensive lines.

Ha , great stuff clover. A few years back when Kenny Stabler did color for the radio network he used to always tell the story of when he won super bowl with the raiders the heaviest lineman was 290 (and he was big) and bama didnt have a lineman under 300. hehe .... thats why i hate to see people try to compare players from different eras. ....You cant compare Unitas to Brady.

 

[cloverleaf]

Yeah Ty, guess I'm just getting old but I miss the old days in football. It was slobberknocking football. Even today, I had get more enjoyment from watching a 10-9 game than one that's 56 to 54. Today, it's more like...I don't know...maybe school yard ball. Not the same to me but still the best sport going.

Coach Bryant was stubborn as hell because he always believed in way and hard nosed football. What made him the best was he always seemed to make the right adjustments when necessary.

Take a look at his 70's teams after he adjusted from small lineman to (quick) bigger ones.

1971 11-1
1972 10-2
1973 11-1
1974 11-1
1975 11-1
1976 9-3
1977 11-1
1978 11-1
1979 12-0
1980 10-2

That's 112-13. The problem with most longtime coaches is they can't adjust to how the game is changes. Bear Bryant was the best at it and he proved it at Maryland, Kentucky, Texas A&M and Alabama.

 

[CoachCB]

Large is good...at least it has been for the Southeastern Conference. When you take the average height and weight and break it down for each team in the Power 5 conferences, here's what you get.

*The SEC has the largest players (on average) at 237 pounds. Alabama has the heaviest players in the nation standing over 6-2 and weighing 247 pounds.

*The ACC is second with players averaging 229 pounds. Clemson has the heaviest players averaging 236 pounds.

*The Pac 12 is third with players averaging 227 pounds. Stanford leads the conference averaging 236 pounds.

*The Big Ten and Big 12 each come in at 225 pounds. Oklahoma leads the Big 12 at 232 pounds and surprise, surprise, Indiana leads the Big Ten at 236 pounds.

What does having the "Biggest" players mean? I don't know because without some speed and ability on those big frames...not a hell of a lot.

Welcome your comments..............

Where did you get these stats CL? Is this just scholarship players?

You throw in a couple 165lb walk-on kickers and these averages get really jacked up.