This week, Richard Graves is joined by Matt Gebert, Strength and Conditioning Coach at Ole Miss Football, to explore how speed is developed within an elite college football programme.

Matt explains how Ole Miss structures speed training across the week, from acceleration and change of direction to maximum velocity, curved sprinting and conditioning. He also breaks down how the physical demands change between position groups and why offensive linemen, linebackers, running backs, wide receivers and defensive backs require different training priorities.

The conversation explores the five key qualities Matt uses to assess speed development and how tools including Catapult GPS and the 1080 Sprint can help coaches understand an athlete’s strengths, weaknesses and potential performance limiters.

However, collecting more data does not automatically lead to better decisions. Matt explains why sports science technology must be accurate, efficient and actionable, particularly when working with a squad of around 120 athletes within strict time restrictions.

Richard and Matt also discuss the balance between pushing athletes hard and protecting player availability, the value of wellness monitoring, the importance of sleep and why technology should help practitioners ask better questions rather than replace coaching judgement.

Matt also reflects on how his coaching philosophy has changed during more than a decade in college football, including moving away from one-size-fits-all programming and learning to coach athletes differently, both physically and psychologically.

In this episode you will learn

• Why speed in team sport is ultimately about creating and closing space
• How Ole Miss structures acceleration, maximum velocity, change of direction and conditioning work
• Why different football positions require different speed and strength qualities
• The five physical qualities Matt assesses within speed development
• How Catapult GPS and the 1080 Sprint are used to profile athletes
• Why maximum velocity is particularly important for wide receivers and defensive backs
• How to identify and improve an athlete’s performance limiters
• The difference between using sports technology and practising sports science
• The three questions Matt asks before introducing new technology
• How external and internal training loads can inform programme decisions
• Why wellness questionnaires can start important conversations with athletes
• The relationship between training load, recovery and player availability
• Why sleep may be the most overlooked performance metric
• How Matt’s approach to individualising training and communication has evolved
• Why acceleration should be a priority for young athletes in almost every sport

About Matt Gebert

Matt Gebert is a Strength and Conditioning Coach with Ole Miss Football, where he leads speed development work within the programme’s performance team.

Matt has worked in college football for approximately 13 years and is currently completing a PhD focused on speed development. His work covers linear speed, multidirectional movement, acceleration, maximum velocity, deceleration, curved sprinting and conditioning for team-sport athletes.

Alongside his coaching and research, Matt regularly shares practical information about speed development and the use of sports science within high-performance environments. He is also preparing a forthcoming book focused on speed development for team-sport athletes.

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Eric competed for Germany in bobsleigh, winning Olympic silver in Pyeongchang 2018 alongside multiple World Championship medals across two-man and four-man competition. Since retiring from elite competition, he has moved into high performance coaching, working with athletes in speed development, sprint mechanics and sliding sports.

This conversation explores what it really takes to perform under Olympic pressure, the physical demands of bobsleigh, and why speed still doesn’t always get the attention it deserves in team sport environments.

Eric breaks down the qualities needed to accelerate a heavy sled on ice, the difference between being fast and being effective in a sport-specific context, and why developing speed requires more than simply adding sprint drills into a programme.

He also reflects openly on his own career, including the mistakes he made as an athlete, the value of testing and tracking progress honestly, and how his coaching philosophy has developed around communication, individualisation and helping athletes become more independent decision-makers.

For sports science professionals, coaches and practitioners working in elite sport, this episode offers a detailed look at speed development, athlete management, pressure, and the transition from elite performer to high performance coach.

In this episode you will learn

• What it feels like to compete at the Olympic Games and handle pressure when medals are expected
• The role of the brakeman in bobsleigh and why the start phase is so technically and physically demanding
• Why sprint speed does not always transfer directly into bobsleigh performance
• The key physical qualities behind acceleration, rate of force development and efficient movement
• Why speed training needs to be prioritised properly within the weekly training structure
• How plyometrics, jumping and coordination can support speed development
• Why Eric believes athletes can sometimes spend too much time in the gym
• The importance of testing, measuring and honestly tracking progress
• How Eric’s experience as a self-coached athlete now shapes the way he coaches others
• Why experienced athletes often need guidance, guardrails and conversation rather than simply being told what to do
• How coaches can adapt communication to the individual athlete in front of them
• Why Eric’s ultimate coaching goal is to create “sovereign athletes” who can make better decisions when the coach is not there

About Eric Franke
Eric Franke is a former German bobsleigh athlete and Olympic silver medallist. He competed at the highest level in both two-man and four-man bobsleigh, winning silver at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang and multiple medals at World Championship level.

Since retiring from competition, Eric has moved into high performance coaching, with a particular focus on speed development, sprint performance and athlete decision-making. He works with athletes across different performance environments, including bobsleigh and skeleton, helping them improve physical qualities while developing a deeper understanding of their own training process.

His coaching approach is shaped by his own experience as an elite athlete, combining technical speed development with individualised communication, clear training frameworks and an emphasis on helping athletes become more self-sufficient.

FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL

SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241

​ Learn Quicker & More Effectively
​ Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery
​ Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In
​ Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese
​ Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More
​ Improve Your Athletes' Performance
​ Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes
​ Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research