Anthropometric and Performance Changes in NCAA Division III College Football Athletes

PURPOSE: To compare anthropometric and athletic performance variables during the playing career of Division III college football players. METHODS: 289 NCAA Division III college football players were assessed for height, body mass, body composition, one repetition-maximum (1-RM) bench press, 1-RM squat, vertical jump height (VJ), vertical jump peak (VJPP) and mean (VJMP) power, 40-yd sprint speed (40S), agility, and line drill (LD) over an eight-year period. All testing occurred at the beginning of summer training camp in each of the seasons studied. Data from all years of testing were combined. One-way analysis of variance was utilized to compare performance improvements from the athletes first year of competition to their final year of competition. For most athletes this occurred over four seasons, however for those athletes that redshirted (practiced but did not play) this occurred for five seasons. RESULTS: Players in their 4th and 5th seasons of competition were significantly (p