Nyck Harbor sets new PR, inches closer to automatic qualifier for U.S. Olympic Trials
South Carolina's Nyck Harbor inches closer to earning an automatic qualifier for the 2024 US Olympic Trials after setting a new PR.
Nyck Harbor sets new PR, inches closer to automatic qualifier for Olympic trials
- Thread starter Chris Clark
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He looks to have gotten heavier. He has a slow leg turnover. IT just feels odd watching this. If he were our DE (Clowney) and had this speed to chase down Running backs that would then be so very exciting. But to see him lose in a semi-qualifying round it just lacks luster. When I watch Sydney McLaughlin or Abby Steiner blaze it with unbelievable precision, it is awe inspiring. McLaughlin sets WR at 19 yrs of age. That is a generational talent. It feels different watching that tape unless he plans to be a 5 Star performer and out run LB's for seams down the middle or out jump DB's for a TD. Otherwise, it is just a fast big guy who came in second in a qualifying race. Just disappointed we recruit 4-Star and 5-Star talent, and it rarely seems to live up to the hype. Where is Montique Rhames? Where is the other 4-Star DT recruited that same year that went the JUCO route-(forgot his name).
Because he didn’t come here to focus on fb. He came here to use a scholarship for fb and run track. Is that simple. I said the exact same when he signed and I’ll say it again now. He’s not a receiver. He’s a d end that wants a scholarship to run track. He’s never going to be a major contributor to our fb team. Pretty simple.
I wouldn't go that far. Harbor has the same body type as DK Metcalf. Harbor just needs work on the juggs machine to get better at making routine catches. He seemed to be better at making the more difficult catches. It is a little early to be this down on the guy. He has had one year in a system with a team that had no OL to give the QB time to get him the ball enough to really make a judgment.
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Then he should be owning these races he is running. MY contention is that he might have better success if he did indeed focus on football, because in that race I didn't see dominance.
I'm sure he's getting better track instruction than he ever has. He just set his PR so obviously he's improving.
As for football increasing his quickness off the line can only help him. He will need to improve his route running and hands. That should come with experience and practice.
Let the man develop. He is not the end product of what he will be.
As for football increasing his quickness off the line can only help him. He will need to improve his route running and hands. That should come with experience and practice.
Let the man develop. He is not the end product of what he will be.
I’m not down on him. Its exactly what I expected. I think comparing him to dk metcalf is a little naive. DK was a receiver in hs and recruited to play receiver. His dad was also an NFL player.
I agree 100%. I’m just telling you why he came here. He could have done this at a few schools that said they’d play him at receiver. We were one. Maybe he liked our school, nil deal, track, coach. Who knows. But he didn’t come here to be fb player. He came here to run track…… and play fb.
Running track is not making him a better fb player. Just stop. If he really wanted to be a fb player he’d be on a jugs machine and running routes. Rather than perfecting starting form off a starting line. I’ll eat crow at some point if it happens. But guess what? It’s not going to.
Then why do football coaches tell their players to run track? I said he also needs to improve his route running and hands. You just stop.
What would you say is more important for him? He’s already a speedster being a track star.
I’ll hang up and listen
Ok cool. So what? Wouldn’t be the first disappointment for the Fb program. When you stop caring, you stop the chronic pain of disappointment.
Well it’s not that I don’t care but it is what I expected. I mean here’s the situation. The kid was only recruited by a few teams that would let him play receiver and run track. So CSB needed that splash recruit to say hey…. Look what we’re doing. I get that. They offered him a great nil package and got him here. I’m sure hoping for other top recruits to see that.
But like I posted above. My sons best friend who was also a freshman this year and on the track team personally told me that he’s here to run track first and play fb second. I’m all for having an Olympian come from USC. But I’d rather have him focus on being the best fb player he could have been at his projected best position. D end
Actually I think there is but I don't care enough to look it up. I'm just going to pretend that he doesn't play football. If he does anything in football then that's 100% bonus to me. He does take up a FB scholarship though.
There is. But it’s mostly sponser paid stuff. But they can still make a great living. I mean millions in millions isn’t everyone’s dream. A gold medal in the Olympics has tremendous value as well.
I hear ya. Gotta wonder what some of these guys have to be thinking in today's environment though. I mean im sure he knows a lot or athletes in his class and around him that are cashing in some pretty big dollars. I mean it has to have some kind of affect on thinking.
His Dad was an Offensive Linemen though. Also, I didn't say they were the same player. I said they have the same body type. Harbor can be a good player. It's up to him if he is going to work at it.
As far as I'm aware, after the Olympics he has no desire to be in the NFL. His parents are extremely intelligent and have passed it to him. I believe his plan is to get an MD or a PhD, I just can't remember which one.
You just have to chuckle at the irony that one of our most heralded recruits ever is only a part-time football player.
I have no doubts he will work very hard on football...when he works on it. SEC football is just not something you can excel at with a few months of work/year. The truly great players work at it year round.
I have no doubts he will work very hard on football...when he works on it. SEC football is just not something you can excel at with a few months of work/year. The truly great players work at it year round.
If he makes the Olympic team he will miss at least a week of Fall camp. Harbor will go down as one of the greatest part time football players ever.
Bo Jackson was reportedly notorious for not going all out in practices at Auburn. But he showed up and excelled on game day. He was just that much better of an athlete than anyone in college, and he knew it.
I don't know that Nyck can do that. Missing a week of fall camp would be disastrous for his development. I know he works hard at football in his spare time, but everyone else is working hard at football in the spare time on top of going through all the practices.
I like the guy, but let's face it, nobody's excited that he came here to run track. We want to see him play football. Track is obviously his top priority though.
Harbor is not a quick out of blocks speedster but a running machine with 2nd/3rd gear speed that kills the quicksters.
I never said it was more important for him to run track. I said..
"As for football, increasing his quickness off the line can only help him. He will need to improve his route running and hands. That should come with experience and practice."
Reading comprehension is important.
He looks to have gotten heavier. He should try to develop. Harbor can be a good player. It's up to him if he is going to work at it.
I think he would already be a good player if he would play the position he excelled at in HS, defensive end. College is not the time to change positions in football because you have some fantasy about being a WR and catching lont touchdown passes in the big game.
Never said you said that. Reading comprehension is important. I said what do you think is more important for him?
There is a strong possibility that Harbor will just be another fast guy whose peak is just shy of national elite and the olympics. That, and also never contributing significantly to football. But if that is his reality, and he enjoys his participation and results, then it's his to enjoy. No need for us to worry about what he's going to do.
Well, I guess if you apply that logic to the entire sports program, then they might as well shut it all down. If fans aren't supposed to care how players perform, what's the point of it all?
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Harbor’s performance also puts him closer to earning an automatic qualifier for the 2024 US Olympic Trials. According to USA Track & Field, the automatic-qualifying time for the 200m is 20.30. For the 100m, the automatic-qualifying time is 10.05. While Harbor’s personal best in the 100m is 10.12, which he set three weeks ago at the USC Open — third fastest 100m in South Carolina program history — he’s scheduled to run Friday night in Heat 2. Heat 1 is scheduled to run at 7:10 p.m.
While Harbor still has plenty of work left ahead of him before he’s thinking about the Olympics, for those keeping an eye on the calendar, South Carolina football is tentatively slated to report for fall camp on August 1. Practice No.1 is set to begin on August 2. The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris is set to begin on July 26 and run through August 11.
He could potentially get out of Paris a few days early if he leaves after the track events, but he still would not be back and ready to participate until 8/12, most likely. He could be looking at less than 3 full weeks of practice before Game 1, and that's after missing the entire spring and having his summer offseason devoted primarily to track. Not ideal.
You are a little late. The SEC championships have already been completed.
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The logic is that an athlete can only do what he can do. We fans can follow with interest and care, but I don't believe we can be angry if an athlete doesn't reach the expectations we have for him - provided of course that he put forth his best possible effort.
Well, the last phrase says it all. As I noted above, I'm confident that Nyck will work his butt off on football...when he works on football. The reality is, football will be back burner for him until mid-August. Meanwhile, all the other players in the SEC will be working full-time between now and the start of the season and have been working since the end of the season. Compound that with the fact that WR is a new position for him coming out of high school.
Maybe he'll surprise us all, but I just don't see him picking it up to play at a high level with only 3 weeks (or possibly less) of dedicated practice time. He'll be playing against guys who practice year-round.
If he was some 3* recruit that nobody really had much in the way of expectations for, that'd be a different story. But he was a heralded and ballyhooed recruit and the crown gem of the class. Right or wrong, fans were/are counting on him being a big contributor.
I am also one who wishes for him to be a big contributor. I support his track aspirations and can identify with him. At the same time, unless he catches fire and proves me wrong, I don't think he has a snowball's chance of making the Olympic team.