Study Highlights Varying Performance Traits Across Football Positions

College football players receive a significant amount of attention when it comes to optimizing their performance. Like in any sport, in college football, coaches are constantly trying to figure out new tips and tricks to give players an upper hand.

With thousands of student-athletes who compete, determining which physical traits are important and how to improve is essential for success.

Players will often be tested on their physical fitness and body composition to assess factors like athletic potential, readiness to perform, and effectiveness of training.¹

Generally, college football players are already at the peak of physical fitness, with most successful athletes typically demonstrating optimal cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular endurance, upper and lower-body muscular strength and power, and the ability to sprint at maximal speed and change direction.¹

While players generally have high overall fitness levels, previous research has shown that different positions on the team demonstrate different physical strengths.

But which traits are most important to which positions, and how do they differ?

In a recent study, researchers set out to answer these questions, with a focus on NCAA Division II American football athletes...

Jump to:

• The Study

• Methodology

• The Results

• Practical Implications

The Study

In a recent study titled, "Key Performance Indicators for College American Football Starters: An Exploratory Study", published in the Journal of Functional Morphology & Kinesiology, researchers set out to examine differences in body composition, joint kinematics (function and efficiency), muscular strength, and muscular power between players in different football positions to identify key performance indicators among the athletes.¹

The goal of the study was to evaluate the physical fitness attributes of collegiate American football starters and to see how key performance measures differ between player positions.

Sixteen college football players from an NCAA Division II team took part in the study. They were around 22 years old, about 184 cm tall, and weighed around 97 kg.¹

All the players were healthy, had no injuries, and trained regularly before the study.

To create the testing battery for the study, the research team took input from coaches, strength and conditioning staff, sports medicine experts, and academic professionals.

Ultimately, the researchers wanted to see which performance indicators were relevant to different positions among offensive and defensive starters, with the larger goal of helping improve players' health, performance, and well-being through targeted training.

Methodology

For the study, the research team used a cross-sectional design to examine the players' body composition, joint function, muscular strength, and lower-body muscular power.

The athletes who participated were categorized as "Tier 3: Highly Trained/National"—a category that only includes .014% of the US population.¹

Before the data collection phase of the study, the athletes regularly participated in training sessions three days per week. The training focused on developing football-specific muscular strength and power, explosiveness, sprinting speed, and agility.

Training exercises included barbell squats, presses, and deadlift variations to develop muscular strength, plus Olympic weightlifting variations, plyometrics, and ballistic exercises to develop muscular power and explosiveness.

Additionally, velocity-based training and an emphasis on training all contraction types (i.e., eccentric, isometric, and concentric) were key components of the program.¹

To obtain fitness data on the athletes, trained professionals collected the data 4–5 days before practice for the 2022 football season began. The athletes were divided into two groups: offensive players were tested on the first day at 8:15 AM and defensive players were tested on the second day at 9:00 AM.¹

All tests for each group were completed in one day, covering body composition, joint movement, strength, and power.

The Results

The results of the study showed significant differences among the different football positions when looking at body composition, muscular strength, and muscular power.

The linemen had higher body composition measurements compared to those in the Skill group (players such as quarterbacks, wide receivers, and safeties).

Additionally, linemen and players in the Big Skill group (tight ends and linebackers) weighed significantly more than Skill group players. Players in the Big Skill group also produced more muscular force than Skill group players.

However, the Skill and Big Skill groups jumped higher and faster and had a shorter braking phase when compared to linemen.

Lastly, there were no significant differences between player positions when looking at lower-extremity joint function.

Practical Implications

While players in different positions differed in their muscular strength and power, peak force and relative peak force didn't differ significantly. The researchers emphasize that this demonstrates the importance of developing absolute strength and explosive strength, regardless of what position you're playing.

Further, players in the Skill group jumped higher and were better at using ground forces compared to linemen, but their jumping techniques were mostly similar, except for the braking phase.

Thus, the braking phase might be an important performance indicator for starters. The Skill group had shorter braking phases and faster takeoff speeds, which could explain why they jumped higher than the linemen.

The research team explains that coaches could use this information to help players improve their physical abilities and overall performance.¹

Additionally, the fact that there wasn't a significant difference among players when measuring joint function highlights the importance of mastering foundational movements regardless of what position you're playing.

The researchers further point out that in the case of an injury, sports performance staff should focus on restoring both general and football-specific joint movement during recovery because joint movement patterns are similar across different positions.

Coaches and trainers can use the study’s methods and findings to get useful insights tailored to their sport, competition level, and player positions.

This information can help them identify the performance indicators that matter most for their team. Once these indicators are known, the test results can guide the creation of a well-rounded training program focused on improving the specific skills needed for better performance.

In this case, areas like body composition, movement mechanics, strength, power, and reaction time should be the main focus to enhance training and boost athletic performance.

Take Home Message

Overall, the study demonstrates that understanding and tracking performance indicators can help college football players and their coaches identify key areas for improvement, optimize training programs, and ultimately enhance performance on the field.

By focusing on essential metrics like strength, agility, and body composition, athletes can work toward achieving their full potential and contributing more effectively to their teams' success.