My numbers came right from the roster has posted on the Ohio bobcats.com website. The eye test also tells me there is no way Our LB are 235 or 240.
The numbers on the roster have not been updated from 3 years ago, or from when a player was initially weighed in as a Bobcat, whichever is later. The numbers in the game notes reflect Fall 2015 heights and weights. On average players gain 4-6 lbs a year as they lift, and build up, so you would expect a 3 year old weight to be off by 15-20 lbs, which is about the difference for most players. Twenty pounds is an average, though. The linemen tend to gain the most, and the backs tend to gain the least. I actually have logged the roster weights for each player each spring and fall, so if it matters, I can tell you the last time they were updated for an individual player.
The reason that linebackers are much more like safeties is that the game has changed over the last twenty years. Offenses are much more likely to be run out of the pistol, and less likely to be run out of the I, T, or Wishbone. Teams have more receivers, and less bruising backs. Running traditional big linebackers would result in mismatches where linebackers have to cover backs or wide receivers, and they can't keep up. One response was to go to a full-time nickle or dime, putting in an extra DB instead of a linebacker. The other is to find hybrid linebackers that are somewhere between a safety and a traditional linebacker. That trend started about 20 years ago.
Injuries to linebackers were back this year, but it isn't like Ohio has injuries to linebackers every year. The injury bug seems to rotate from position to position. Last year it was safeties. A couple years ago it was tight ends. Before that it was offensive linemen.
Last Edited: 12/23/2015 7:11:43 AM by L.C.