Several Kentuckians invaded Nashville, Tennessee and obtained what is called an “athletic football rating” a.k.a. “SPARQ” rating. SQARQ is an acronym for a Speed, Power, Agility, Reaction, and Quickness. It is designed to measure sport-specific athleticism.
We have learned during this process that there are some freakishly athletic footballers around the commonwealth of Kentucky. A LB KPGFootball has been covering since “jump-street” went to Nike’s “The Opening” and really opened some eyes. We believe he had an elite rating, specifically for the position he plays and his percentiles support that belief.
Breaking down Austin Gough’s performance, the all-time, single-season, tackles record holder at Owensboro Senior High was measured at 5-12 and weighed in at 203 pounds. Now, I don’t know how this happens but combines with as many participants as Nike’s “The Opening” almost always incorrectly measure kids.
For starters, what the Hell is 5 foot, 12 inches. I know, you’re saying it is 6 foot tall but the kids who measured 6-5 weren’t recorded as being 5 foot 17 inches, we are willing to wager. You may be saying How can you quibble with a height measurement? If you are saying that, as if the combine’s height measurements are sacrosanct, then you are showing you have never before been to either a Rivals or Nike combine.
They run these kids through a veritable cattle-call at the meat market assembly line to have them measured and weighed by a retinue of workers who could give a flying flip whether the measurements taken and recored are accurate. KPGFootball, at an Adidas adizero, Rivals combine watched a worker record a measurement which was significantly different than what was digitally on the monitor plainly in our view. It isn’t an act of sabotage as much as an act of who the Hell cares(?).
Anyway, Austin was measured at 5-12 which could mean they had him at 6-0 or it could mean that measurement was taken down with the same who cares attitude we have before seen exhibited at such combines. Gough was weighed at 203-pounds.
Gough, whose height and weight were measured at the APC a month ago, measured, then, at 6-1.5 and we believe he may be slightly taller than that. “The Opening” screwed the boy’s height anyway you cut it.
Gough weighed 218 at the APC and “The Opening” recorded his weight as being 203-pounds. The line of people being weighed at the same time, with weights being shouted over top the other and the place, may mean somebody next to Gough weighed 203 and his worker thought that weight was Gough’s or who knows. Gough didn’t lose 15 pounds in a month.
Now the rest of the measurements are spot on as these times were laser, or fully-automated times. If you will recall, Gough ran a 4.8 at the APC, hand-held, and we remarked about the headwind slowing that time. Gough just isn’t a 4.8-second, 40 kid. He’s significantly faster than that.
On the laser at the Nike combine, Gough ran a 4.71-second, fully-automated, 40-yard dash. He tested in the 93rd percentile of players nationwide. Gough’s vertical was measured at 33.5-inches which supports his 40-time as very likely being accurate. His vertical was in the 92nd percentile.
A prospect’s performance in the four exercises assigns a “Peak PWR” rating. That number is recorded in WATTS. Gough scored a 7280 which was in the 94th percentile.
His power ball toss was measured and recorded. That test measures how far a prospect can toss a five-pound ball from his knees. It is designed to measure a prospect’s ability to develop and deliver coordinated power. Gough’s throw was 36.0 feet, which was in the 93rd percentile.
Gough’s lowest score was in the short-shuttle or pro-agility (5-10-5) where Gough was timed at 4.57-seconds, good for finishing in the 70th percentile. In watching film of the task from the combine, Gough slipped during both attempts. No doubt his slipping resulted in his having a significantly slower time than what he would do otherwise.
Overall, adding together the 5 percentiles then dividing by 5, we have Gough in the top 12% of athletes playing football all across the United States of America. Just think, that’s with two more seasons of High School football left and that is specific to all position groups and not just linebackers.
Now you know why KPGFootball is so high on Gough at the LB position in the Class of 2021. Now you know why we believe him to be among the very best football players in Kentucky in his graduating class. Obviously he has the on-field production to bolster our claims. Now you can add science to the ever-growing list of evidence.
This is Coach HB Lyon, reporting for KPGFootball, and we’re JUST CALLING IT LIKE WE SEE IT!
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