☕️ Morning Rep S&C Update

Good morning. USF profiles Antonio Turner and his culture-building philosophy, the Ravens bring in a rugby legend to lead health and performance, and a new study shows sleep directly impacts vertical jump. Let's get into it...

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🏉 Ravens Hire Rugby Legend Dr. Nic Gill from New Zealand All Blacks

The Baltimore Ravens hired Dr. Nic Gill as vice president of health and performance to lead integrated efforts across strength and conditioning, medical, nutrition, and sports science.

Gill spent nearly 20 years with the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team (most recently as head of health and performance). During his tenure, the All Blacks won multiple Rugby World Cups (2011 & 2015), achieved 200+ test match wins, and maintained a .800+ winning percentage at the international level. He holds a PhD in Exercise Physiology and is an Associate Professor at the University of Waikato in New Zealand. GM Eric DeCosta: "Gilly is an accomplished leader who has demonstrated a profound ability to impact the All Blacks as a strength and wellness specialist for over 18 years. His ability to lead an integrated staff and develop strong relationships with players makes him ideal for this role." Read More

🐂 Inside USF's Culture-Building with Antonio Turner

South Florida profiled head strength and conditioning coach Antonio Turner, who joined from Ohio State where he spent three years as top assistant to Mickey Marotti. At Ohio State, Turner helped produce a 37-6 record and the 2024 College Football Playoff championship. He's worked at seven other FBS programs including Mississippi State, Maryland, Iowa State, Florida, UMass (director of football sports performance), and Ole Miss.

Turner's philosophy: "A 45-pound plate is still a 45-pound plate. Hard work is a non-negotiable principle. If you won't work hard, you won't reach your genetic potential." He emphasizes mat drills (pre-dawn conditioning circuits) and wants athletes to be "seen, heard, and felt" in the weight room. Head coach Brian Hartline: "The strength room is the best reflection of your culture. He and his staff will probably have the most impact of anyone on our team." Read More

🏈 Titans Hire Freddie Walker as Director of Applied Sports Science

The Tennessee Titans hired Freddie Walker as director of applied sports science from the Denver Broncos, where he was assistant director of sports science.

Walker focuses on the data side of performance—GPS tracking, Dexa scans, body composition, model building, and return to play science. He won't be in the weight room; he'll be in the data supporting what happens on the field. The Titans lost two members of their sports performance staff after the season: Mark Lovat (became Steelers S&C coach) and Grant Throne (joined Pittsburgh as director of performance integration). The team hired Brent Callaway from EXOS to replace Throne and David Paluka (Miami's director of player performance in 2025) to replace Lovat. Read More

😴 Sleep Directly Impacts Vertical Jump Performance in College Athletes

A study of 174 NCAA Division I football athletes tracked 4,049 instances of sleep data (measured via smart ring worn 5 nights/week) and next-day vertical jump performance.

Results: longer nocturnal sleep duration associated with better next-day vertical jump performance. Athletes averaged 6.2 hours of sleep per night, 41.8 cm maximal jump height, and 40.2 cm average jump height. Countermovement depth significantly mediated the relationship between sleep and maximal jump performance—not peak concentric force or velocity. The findings highlight the importance of prioritizing sufficient sleep for optimizing anaerobic performance. Athletic staff should promote sleep hygiene to prevent sleep restriction in student athletes. Published in Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Read More

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