QUANTUM LEAP:" When I crossed the finish line following the completion of my 40-yard dash," writes Perry Hall's Dave Stinebaugh (above, left), "I turned around and saw several of my teammates.They were collectively celebrating. Then I was told what my time was: 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash."
The Gators went 10-2, with Stinebaugh hauling in the game-winning touchdown reception in the Gators' 28-21 Class 4A North Regional semifinal victory over high-scoring North Carrolll of Carroll County. During his second year as a starter, Stinebaugh caught 55 passes for 1,035 yards and 16 TDs, rushed for a touchdown,
threw a 52-yard pass for another and returned one of his four
interceptions for still another score.
Stinebaugh was voted by Baltimore
County's Class 4A-3A League coaches as the county's overall Player of The Year, as well as both an All-County strong safety
and outside linebakcer on defense, and a tight end on offense.
Stinebaugh is an honors student with a 3.3 grade average. In two seasons, Stinebaugh has 101
receptions for 1,898 yards and 28 scoring catches.
Stinebaugh proved, during his high school career, to be exceptionally swift for his size, but his time in the 40-yard dash -- a 4.6-second clocking -- still left him without many of the major scholarship offers that have come the way of many other players who are considered big-time Division I recruits.
That was, until his effort at the April 19 Nike Combine at the Ravens' M&T Bank Stadium, which included his running a 4.5-second 40-yard dash.
“Anyone who has seen him play knows that the kind of player
that he is. I’m surprised that he doesn’t have an offer from someone at this
point. Of the 20-some kids who have offers, already, I’m surprised that he is
not one of them," said Sheldon Shealor, a senior editor with MDVarsity.com. "I think he’s a proven player, and I think that his combine
validates what people already know. Doing what he did at the combine should no
doubt open a few more doors for him with coaches who might say, ‘this is a guy that
we need to look at.’”
Below, Stinebaugh chronicles what it took to lower his time in the 40-yard dash, and he briefly touches on how his life has changed since the accomplishment of that personal milestone.
Click here for highlights of Perry Hall and Dave Stinebuagh (No. 86) against Hereford
Click here for interview with Dave Stinebaugh
Click here to see Stinebaugh's appearance on The Only Game In Town with Tavon Austin, Mike Campanaro and Leon Kinnard.
by Dave Stinebaugh
Perry Hall
football recruit
as told to
DigitalSports
The number
4.5 just might seem like an everyday number to everyone else, but to me and the football recruits, it is more than just a number.
It is a number that can decide your future in such a short time that it sometimes seems unrealistic.
By the time that you get finished running across the finish line, having covered 40 yards hopefully in 4.5 seconds or below, your whole future could have been ended or magnified by that
ONE number.
With such pressure being put on one drill -- which doesn't necessarily show what you can do on the field besides how fast you can run -- improving one's speed requires a great deal of work and dedication.
With this at mind, I have put a great number of hours and dedication into working on all things to do with the various amounts of drills taken in by the college coach's at combines such as the one I participated in on April 19 at the Ravens' M&T Bank Stadium that was sponsored by Nike.
Realizing that the harder I work, the greater the payoff will be for my future, I put in the time, work, blood and sweat to bring my time down.
I did the best that I could and learned as much as I needed to from my trainer, who has been around these kinds of activities for many years.
That allowed me to be as prepared as possible for the combine at M&T.
And all of the hours and hours of work and dedication paid off, coming together during the 40 minutes I spent executing the various events on the same field where NFL players in general, and the Ravens, in particular, spend their Sundays entertaining America with their athletic talents.
When I crossed the finish line following the completion of my 40-yard dash, I turned around and saw several of my teammates, guys I have been playing with, training with.
They were all pumping their fists. They were all staring at me.
They were collectively celebrating.
Seeing this gave me an immediate feeling of accomplishment, the ultimate reward for having put in all of that time and effort.
Then I was told what my time was:
4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash.
Upon hearing that, I knew what was to come next.
I knew that this time -- this number -- was such a big thing for college recruting, and that this, along with my statistical accomplishments and hard-earned accolades, would finally put me over the top.
I knew that things, recruiting-wise, would begin to hasten and pick up for me. In fact, representatives from Syracuse are scheduled to arrive next week.
Since the football season has ended, I have been in the weight room, working to build muscle and to put on weight.
I have added about 15 pounds of muscle, and I weigh about 208 pounds. Although the season ended in November, for me, personally, another season immediately has begun.
It began with the offseason, off-of-the-field workouts. It has included the speed and conditioning and weightlifting work with my trainer.
But I am more than glad to put in the time, effort and work required to improve my future.
That's because I know how important it is, and, particularly, what the results in my 40-yard dash mean.
The Dave Stinebaugh file, at a glance:
Primary position being considered for: Tight end
Schools Interested: Maryland, Connecticutt, Wake Forest, Rutgers, Delaware and Syracuse.
Height: 6-foot-4.
Weight: 208 pounds
40 time: 4.5
Pro agility: 4.6
Vertical leap: 30.3
Power ball toss: 39 feet
Lacrosse position presently bing played: Midfield, with 11 goals, 45 assists, and a personal-best six goals in a recent game to go with three assists.