Looking Ahead 2026: Calvin Russell

[PhatOrange]

imo, terrible idea. Assume this had to factor into his decision, but just don’t see how it benefits either party.

Likely the only reason he's at Syracuse

 

[Ttk.gman2]

A lot of spotlight is being put on the football team this year with the addition of Toosii and Calvin Russell.

 

[LpoolNative]

Fran is amazing

 

[sufandu]

That’s a good way to get hurt.

Also, totally disagree with working same muscles. Football is focused on more fast twitch and explosion.

How is it a good way to get hurt?

The same muscles are used. Joints only move in certain directions and the same muscles move those joints regardless of what sport you are playing. My anatomy and physiology and kinesiology classes told me so. Yes there are some differences in what movements you do and how frequently you do them,

What twitch muscles do you think are worked with jumping and the quickness needed to move quickly when playing defense or driving to the basket? The same type II fibers that are used to high point a ball and come out of breaks when runnig a pattern. I can assure you William Kyle relied on type II fibers on his dunk the other night.

 

[GHLF]

Likely the only reason he's at Syracuse

Preposterous

 

[anomander]

The one point you are missing, which surprised me, because you are very observant is, this is what makes him happy.
And for however long he is at Syracuse that's how you want him. The 2nd most important thing besides the education.

I assumed that’s the only reason we got him is by allowing him to play basketball. College is tough in general for non-athletes. Combine Fran’s strict rules when it comes to class and playing 2 sports, that’s a good way to burn out.

How is it a good way to get hurt?

The same muscles are used. Joints only move in certain directions and the same muscles move those joints regardless of what sport you are playing. My anatomy and physiology and kinesiology classes told me so. Yes there are some differences in what movements you do and how frequently you do them,

What twitch muscles do you think are worked with jumping and the quickness needed to move quickly when playing defense or driving to the basket? The same type II fibers that are used to high point a ball and come out of breaks when runnig a pattern. I can assure you William Kyle relied on type II fibers on his dunk the other night.

Sure a lot overlap, but a lot don’t, especially playing at this level.

Football - Short, explosive bursts. Lateral movement and agility.
Basketball - More vertical. Short burst under load, etc.

Football - Body mass
Basketball - Endurance

Most importantly over use increases the chance of injury, or chance or random injury while practicing.

 

[Franz69]

 

[bnoro]

Preposterous

Not preposterous at all. If we didn't offer him the opportunity to play basketball he would've gone to a school where he could play both.

 

[dasher]

Didn’t he just do it his senior season?

Don played two seasons. Neither of which were his sr year. He played as a frosh and a soph. Only quit because of Playing time.

 

[Ttk.gman2]

 

[Ttk.gman2]

Elite hands

 

[SuFTW]

I assumed that’s the only reason we got him is by allowing him to play basketball. College is tough in general for non-athletes. Combine Fran’s strict rules when it comes to class and playing 2 sports, that’s a good way to burn out.

Sure a lot overlap, but a lot don’t, especially playing at this level.

Football - Short, explosive bursts. Lateral movement and agility.
Basketball - More vertical. Short burst under load, etc.

Football - Body mass
Basketball - Endurance

Most importantly over use increases the chance of injury, or chance or random injury while practicing.

Basketball has plenty of lateral movement and need for agility.

 

[721Comstock]

Not preposterous at all. If we didn't offer him the opportunity to play basketball he would've gone to a school where he could play both.

144% THIS.
It was a mandatory part of the deal, or we don’t get him.


AND…. he became a 5* WR in HS while also playing hoops.

Not like he’s never done this before.

We let Gill run track, and it didn’t hamper his production any -
his QB going down did.

 

[Ttk.gman2]

 

[sufandu]

I assumed that’s the only reason we got him is by allowing him to play basketball. College is tough in general for non-athletes. Combine Fran’s strict rules when it comes to class and playing 2 sports, that’s a good way to burn out.

Sure a lot overlap, but a lot don’t, especially playing at this level.

Football - Short, explosive bursts. Lateral movement and agility.
Basketball - More vertical. Short burst under load, etc.

Football - Body mass
Basketball - Endurance

Most importantly over use increases the chance of injury, or chance or random injury while practicing.

Again, you're way overthinking this.

Both sports have a mix of short explosive bursts and require a measure of endurance. You don't think he'll need endurance to run deep patterns? There's a reason coach P had the team do a series of 100 yards sprints with short rest breaks as part of preseason conditoning testing.

They both have short burst under load.

They both require lateral movement.

He's a WR not a DT. How much more mass does he need? We don't need him to add 30 lbs to get on the field. Brandon Triche and Dion Waiters were thicker than him. Most recievers on our roster last year were not much, if at all, bigger. He'll add weight. Every 18 year old that isn't Taj Harris does. 195 lbs is not a bad starting point for a freshman.

He won't be overtraining. He can follow the football lifting program and subsitute basketball for what the rest of the football team is doing for cardio for 2-3 months. Aside from whatever lifting he's schduled to do that day, he'll be resting on game days because he'll be a spectator. As I said before, any halfway S&C coach can figure this out. In fact, taking time away from the primary sport to use your body in a different but still active way REDUCES overuse. This has been known for decades. The lack of change up in young athletes is very likely a contributing factor to the increase in overuse injuries we've seen the last 20 years.

 

[sufandu]

144% THIS.
It was a mandatory part of the deal, or we don’t get him.


AND…. he became a 5* WR in HS while also playing hoops.

Not like he’s never done this before.

We let Gill run track, and it didn’t hamper his production any -
his QB going down did.

Weren't there around 3 guys running track last year? A lot of our football players ran track in the '90's. I know that's an eternity ago.

 

[Ttk.gman2]

 

[anomander]

Weren't there around 3 guys running track last year? A lot of our football players ran track in the '90's. I know that's an eternity ago.

Track doesn’t interfere with winter workouts or spring training and is in-between workouts before fall camp.

 

[xc84]

Track doesn’t interfere with winter workouts or spring training and is in-between workouts before fall camp.

Indoor track is in the winter and outdoor track is in the spring

 

[anomander]

Indoor track is in the winter and outdoor track is in the spring

honestly don’t even knew they had indoor track.

 

[xc84]

honestly don’t even knew they had indoor track.

I am glad I could educate you.

 

[sufandu]

honestly don’t even knew they had indoor track.

Anytime you see guys posting times for distance less than 100m, usually 55m or 60m, that's indoor track. Tucker ran indoor track at SU.

 

[sufandu]

Track doesn’t interfere with winter workouts or spring training and is in-between workouts before fall camp.

We had guys running track last year around spring practice. They ran in meets prior to, I believe they took a break during spring practice, and then resumed after spring practice was over.

Edit: SU lists the 4 meets where Gill had his season bests on the track and field site: 3/21-22, 4/10-12, 4/18, and 5/15-17. That last one was the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships. He may have been in more meets that weren't listed where I looked.

 

[OttosShoes]

That’s a good way to get hurt.

Also, totally disagree with working same muscles. Football is focused on more fast twitch and explosion.

I see what you’re saying but it’s not like he wants to run cross country or join the swim team or something. They’re different but not orthogonal.

And anyway, we had two choices here:
1. Calvin Russell who is free to play basketball
2. No Calvin Russell.

It’d be ridiculous to choose No 2 so it is what it is.

Plus, maybe basketball or football pick up some one sport fans.

 

[xc84]

Joe Morris, Mike Morris, Qadry Ismail still hold some SU indoor and outdoor track records