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Are we leveraging Zach Duval enough in recruiting?

The_CornTorch

Scout Team
5 Year Member
As I watched Khalil Mack destroy the Vikings on Sunday, I was reminded of the fact that Khalil's strength coach at Buffalo was none other than... Zach Duval.

And assuming there's a positive connection between the two (Zach and Khalil), makes me wonder if there isn't a way for NU to feature Zach more in its Pro Big Red tweets, etc. Especially since we're on the hunt for defensive players.

See the bolded part below. Wouldn't recruits connect the same dots?

From a OWH article back in April:

"Members of the defensive line found an extra gear during winter conditioning when strength and conditioning coach Zach Duval described the career path of Khalil Mack. Duval worked with Mack — a defensive end who was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft — during their time together at Buffalo in the early 2010s.

“The whole defensive line started going crazy,” Akinmoladun said. “The first week we were dying. Then he told that story and we were like, ‘Well, we all have dreams and aspirations to go to the NFL.’ So we all just picked it up and started lifting really heavy.”
 
As I watched Khalil Mack destroy the Vikings on Sunday, I was reminded of the fact that Khalil's strength coach at Buffalo was none other than... Zach Duval.

And assuming there's a positive connection between the two (Zach and Khalil), makes me wonder if there isn't a way for NU to feature Zach more in its Pro Big Red tweets, etc. Especially since we're on the hunt for defensive players.

See the bolded part below. Wouldn't recruits connect the same dots?

From a OWH article back in April:

"Members of the defensive line found an extra gear during winter conditioning when strength and conditioning coach Zach Duval described the career path of Khalil Mack. Duval worked with Mack — a defensive end who was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft — during their time together at Buffalo in the early 2010s.

“The whole defensive line started going crazy,” Akinmoladun said. “The first week we were dying. Then he told that story and we were like, ‘Well, we all have dreams and aspirations to go to the NFL.’ So we all just picked it up and started lifting really heavy.”
He’s pretty heavily involved in the recruiting process, not sure what stories he tells. That being said, DL may one we need to shy away from with him considering all the season ending injuries we’ve had at that position this year.
 
He’s pretty heavily involved in the recruiting process, not sure what stories he tells. That being said, DL may one we need to shy away from with him considering all the season ending injuries we’ve had at that position this year.

I knew Deontre was out with a broken hand. You're telling me that Mick's injury was S&C related now, too?

Don't answer that. LOL
 
I knew Deontre was out with a broken hand. You're telling me that Mick's injury was S&C related now, too?

Don't answer that. LOL
Lol, nah I can’t be mad at any S&C program for Stolt or Bryant. Find me a program that grows cartilage back and I’ll show you a millionaire living on an island somewhere.

Thomas’ isn’t either, his first one may be tho. And certainly the other guys that are out for the year on the DL I could attribute to that, I just don’t want to go there first year.

But allow me a soap box for a second...

Truth be told, the amount of soft tissue injuries and season ending knees we’ve had this year would lead me to blow up people like Dobson. Don’t go count how many season ending soft tissues we have, it’s probably 10% of our scholarship non specialists. If our goal in the weight room is to help develop depth, that stunts it quite a bit. Heck, our two future true freshmen offensive weapons are both in knee braces to end the season.

Knee injuries actually went way down under Phillip. And people mocked me for saying that when he got here we had to lighten loads just to teach people to lift right as to not create imbalances. Turns out that worked,but we also didn’t hold kids accountable, so maybe kids just weren’t lifting period and not creating imbalances that way? Then you have a S&C coach that comes in and has them lifting heavy with bad form after kids either weren’t lifting, or helped create some imbalances. I could almost tell you it’s better to not lift than lift wrong after this experiment.

Bottom line is there is some kids that we brought in from the 2018 class that basically didn’t get any benefit of football this fall due to being injured. That could bite us in 2019/2020. But Duval is going to get these guys jacked and tough, no doubt about it.
 
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Lol, nah I can’t be mad at any S&C program for Stolt or Bryant. Find me a program that grows cartilage back and I’ll show you a millionaire living on an island somewhere.

Thomas’ isn’t either, his first one may be tho. And certainly the other guys that are out for the year on the DL I could attribute to that, I just don’t want to go there first year.

But allow me a soap box for a second...

Truth be told, the amount of soft tissue injuries and season ending knees we’ve had this year would lead me to blow up people like Dobson. Don’t go count how many season ending soft tissues we have, it’s probably 10% of our scholarship non specialists. If our goal in the weight room is to help develop depth, that stunts it quite a bit. Heck, our two future true freshmen offensive weapons are both in knee braces to end the season.

Knee injuries actually went way down under Phillip. And people mocked me for saying that when he got here we had to lighten loads just to teach people to lift right as to not create imbalances. Turns out that worked,but we also didn’t hold kids accountable, so maybe kids just weren’t lifting period and not creating imbalances that way? Then you have a S&C coach that comes in and has them lifting heavy with bad form after kids either weren’t lifting, or helped create some imbalances. I could almost tell you it’s better to not lift than lift wrong after this experiment.

Bottom line is there is some kids that we brought in from the 2018 class that basically didn’t get any benefit of football this fall due to being injured. That could bite us in 2019/2020. But Duval is going to get these guys jacked and tough, no doubt about it.
I think it was the Monday presser this week when Frost himself said that from what he knows about last years injuries, this years soft tissue injuries are way down. He also said you’re going to get some knee and shoulder injuries during a season, but the soft tissue problems can be reduced through S&C.
 
I think it was the Monday presser this week when Frost himself said that from what he knows about last years injuries, this years soft tissue injuries are way down. He also said you’re going to get some knee and shoulder injuries during a season, but the soft tissue problems can be reduced through S&C.
The injuries overall are way up this year. To starters they are down I believe from the article I read. Great for a season you are ready to go, not great for developing depth. Soft tissue can absolutely be reduced with S&C. And we absolutely have to do better in the soft tissue injury department next year.
 
The injuries overall are way up this year. To starters they are down I believe from the article I read. Great for a season you are ready to go, not great for developing depth. Soft tissue can absolutely be reduced with S&C. And we absolutely have to do better in the soft tissue injury department next year.
Were the injuries to Tate Wildeman and Casey Rogers directly related to over-zealousness on the part of Duval during strength and conditioning? And are they on the road to being able o play in the spring?
 
Were the injuries to Tate Wildeman and Casey Rogers directly related to over-zealousness on the part of Duval during strength and conditioning? And are they on the road to being able o play in the spring?
I don't think you can definitively say that Wildeman and Rogers are directly related to anything S&C. You sure as heck can't say that for Tre Bryant or Mick Stoltenberg. That being said, I did talk before this season about how lifting heavy with incorrect form can create imbalances that can lead to not good things on your joints. I gave pretty much every strength coach a pass year 1, you aren't even 12 months into your system. Next year if Nebraska goes UCF and doesn't have a single injury all year (I still don't believe that's true FYI) this is all a moot point.

But with that said, there were wayyyyyyy too many kids with season ending injuries that stunted their development for the 2019 season. Mile Jones, WIll Honas, Cam Jones, Tate Wildeman, Daishon Neal, Deontre Thomas, Casey Rogers, and there's a few others that were walk-ons that were hurt too. You also had Maurice Washington not able to do a ton in the weight room due to his knee, Adrian Martinez sitting out a game due to a knee, Andrew Bunch getting a knee scare, JD Spielman with a leg injury that was so bad he didn't even want to make the trip to Iowa City. Greg Bell was hurt almost the entirety of fall camp, and it showed that first run he ripped off this season.

Lastly, the real thing that I find fascinating is a lot of the things that these dudes played thru this year they would have sat out with last year. Was it because they didn't care they sat out? Mentally over Riley and his staff? Guys like Dedrick Young, Antonio Reed, and others would have certainly missed time last year.
 



Lol, nah I can’t be mad at any S&C program for Stolt or Bryant. Find me a program that grows cartilage back and I’ll show you a millionaire living on an island somewhere.

Thomas’ isn’t either, his first one may be tho. And certainly the other guys that are out for the year on the DL I could attribute to that, I just don’t want to go there first year.

But allow me a soap box for a second...

Truth be told, the amount of soft tissue injuries and season ending knees we’ve had this year would lead me to blow up people like Dobson. Don’t go count how many season ending soft tissues we have, it’s probably 10% of our scholarship non specialists. If our goal in the weight room is to help develop depth, that stunts it quite a bit. Heck, our two future true freshmen offensive weapons are both in knee braces to end the season.

Knee injuries actually went way down under Phillip. And people mocked me for saying that when he got here we had to lighten loads just to teach people to lift right as to not create imbalances. Turns out that worked,but we also didn’t hold kids accountable, so maybe kids just weren’t lifting period and not creating imbalances that way? Then you have a S&C coach that comes in and has them lifting heavy with bad form after kids either weren’t lifting, or helped create some imbalances. I could almost tell you it’s better to not lift than lift wrong after this experiment.

Bottom line is there is some kids that we brought in from the 2018 class that basically didn’t get any benefit of football this fall due to being injured. That could bite us in 2019/2020. But Duval is going to get these guys jacked and tough, no doubt about it.
Stem cell injections will grow cartilage back. Just don't know how fast. I have a buddy that does it for a living, I'm going to get preventative maintenance injections:Biggrin:
 
I don't think you can definitively say that Wildeman and Rogers are directly related to anything S&C. You sure as heck can't say that for Tre Bryant or Mick Stoltenberg. That being said, I did talk before this season about how lifting heavy with incorrect form can create imbalances that can lead to not good things on your joints. I gave pretty much every strength coach a pass year 1, you aren't even 12 months into your system. Next year if Nebraska goes UCF and doesn't have a single injury all year (I still don't believe that's true FYI) this is all a moot point.

But with that said, there were wayyyyyyy too many kids with season ending injuries that stunted their development for the 2019 season. Mile Jones, WIll Honas, Cam Jones, Tate Wildeman, Daishon Neal, Deontre Thomas, Casey Rogers, and there's a few others that were walk-ons that were hurt too. You also had Maurice Washington not able to do a ton in the weight room due to his knee, Adrian Martinez sitting out a game due to a knee, Andrew Bunch getting a knee scare, JD Spielman with a leg injury that was so bad he didn't even want to make the trip to Iowa City. Greg Bell was hurt almost the entirety of fall camp, and it showed that first run he ripped off this season.

Lastly, the real thing that I find fascinating is a lot of the things that these dudes played thru this year they would have sat out with last year. Was it because they didn't care they sat out? Mentally over Riley and his staff? Guys like Dedrick Young, Antonio Reed, and others would have certainly missed time last year.

Every time I get excited about our future I read something like this and feel holy crap 2-3 more years away. Thing is, I have heard 2-3 more years away for 15 years or so now...
#PleaseMakeItStop
 
Every time I get excited about our future I read something like this and feel holy crap 2-3 more years away. Thing is, I have heard 2-3 more years away for 15 years or so now...
#PleaseMakeItStop
Maybe this will help; 5 of our losses were 1 possession games so we easily could have been 9-3. IMO 2019 sets up well for us to win the West.
 



Maybe this will help; 5 of our losses were 1 possession games so we easily could have been 9-3. IMO 2019 sets up well for us to win the West.
I agree, I think pain we suffer this year we get back in extra wins next year!
 


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