The men's sprints will be more interesting than usual with no solid favorites

Published by Adam Schneider/DyeStatCollege.com editor on March 11th, 2016

There is no solid favorite in the men's sprints this year. With so many unanswered questions, athletes coming back from injuries (Arman Hall and Devon Allen), and up-and-down-performances throughout the year the sprints will be very interesting.

Men’s 60m - In the short sprints you can really see where the message from the coach is being received by the athlete. Athletes who are good starters with very good finishing speed don’t necessarily win this title. Even the best coaches will not have the top performers over the 60m distance. Ronnie Baker of TCU won last year and looks like the biggest favorite of any of the men's sprints this year.  He took the collegiate lead after winning the Big 12 title in 6.51. John Teeters of Oklahoma State will be right there at the finish along with emerging Cameron Burrell of Houston and Christian Coleman of Tennessee. 

Men’s 60m                  School  Yr    PR                      SB             2015 NCAA

1. Ronnie Baker         TCU    Sr  6.51                    6.51                 1st
2. John Teeters         Ok St     Sr  6.52 2/13/15       6.54 1/29           2nd
3. Christian Coleman Tenn    So  6.54 2/5/16         6.54 2/5            6th
4. Cameron Burrell    Hou     So  6.54 3/14/14     6.55 1/15          6th 2014
5. Markesh Woodson  Mo     Sr   6.59 2/12/16     6.59 2/12            5th
6. Tevin Hester           Clem   Sr  6.56 2/26/15       6.61 2/25          7th   
7. Jarrion Lawson      Ark      Sr   6.62 1/29/16     6.62  1/29    3rd 2015 out
8. Ryan Clark              Flor    Fr   6.64  2/12/16     6.64 2/12    

Men’s 200m - Brendon Rodney of LIU-Brooklyn got off to a late start in the 200m but he finished with American East titles in the 200m and 400m. The experienced senior is ready to get his first NCAA title but he will have to battle Christian Coleman of Tennessee, a late season starting Arman Hall of Florida, Nathaneel Mitchell-Blake of LSU and a host of others in what is a wide open competition

Men’s 200m                         School  Yr    PR                      SB             2015 NCAA

1. Brendon Rodney        LIU-Br Sr    20.46  2/19/16   20.46 2/19 
2. Christian Coleman      Tenn    So    20.54  2/26/16   20.54 2/26
3. Arman Hall                   Flor    Sr    20.55  2/26/16   20.55 2/26
4. Nathaneel Mitchell-Blake LSU Jr   20.51 2/26/16   20.51 2/26
5. Bryce Robinson           Tulsa  Sr     20.63 2/5/16      20.63 2/5     3rd
6. Cameron Williams      Bo U   Sr     20.58 2/19/16   20.58 2/19
7. Sam Watts                    TCU   Sr     20.60 2/12/16  20.60 2/12      8th
8. Devin Jenkins            T A&M  Sr   20.58  2/5/16    20.58 2/5

Men’s 400m - Arman Hall got off to a late start but the former World Championship competitor is the favorite when he is on. He has run 20.55 and 45.79 this year. We will know day 1 how things are going after his past struggles in the NCAA preliminaries. Michael Cherry of LSU ran well early in the season but hasn’t gotten faster. Zach Bilderback of Texas had a big pr of 45.27 at Big 12s and is he repeats that in the final he will be hard to beat.  Freshmen Izaiah Brown of Rutgers (45.62) and Kahmari Montgomery of Missouri (45.78) had breakthroughs to win their conference titles.

Men’s 400m                   School  Yr    PR                      SB                  2015 NCAA

1. Arman Hall                Florida  Sr  45.28 2/28/14    45.79 2/26      
2. Michael Cherry           LSU     Jr  45.61 2/26/16    45.61 2/26
3. Zach Bilderback         Texas   Sr 45.27 2/27/16     45.27 2/27         6th
4. Izaiah Brown              RutgersFr 45.62 2/27/16     45.62 2/27
5. Kahmari Montgomery Missou Fr 45.78 2/27/16    45.78 2/27
6. Aldrich Bailey, Jr        Texas    Jr 46.05 2/13/15     46.11 2/26
7. Najee Glass                 Flor     Jr   45.34 1/30/15     46.11 2/26      3rd  
8. Emmanuel Dasor        W Kent Jr 46.21 2/25/16     46.21

Men’s 4x400m Relay - Texas has had great success the last few years on the women’s side and not so much on the men’s side. The Longhorns finally have enough talent to win their first 4x400m title in a few years. Florida will contend for the title with the experienced and talented Najee Glass and Arman Hall expected to run the last two legs.  LSU won outdoors last year but lost their top two legs. They replace them with transfers Lamar Bruton and Michael Cherry. 

Men’s 4x400m   

      School                 SB                2015

1. Texas                      3:04.41             3rd 
2. Florida                    3:04.02             2nd out
3. LSU                        3:04.46             1st out
4. Baylor                    3:04.16     
5. Arkansas               3:05.35               8th      
6. Texas Tech            3:04.98
7. Ohio State             3:06.38    
8. Texas A&M           3:06.73             1st

Men's 60m Hurdles - To be a really good hurdler you need to be in a rhythm going over the hurdles and from meet to meet a competitor can perfect that rhythm. When this season started there were questions whether the 2014 NCAA and US champions, Devon Allen of Oregon, would get that rhythm back after missing all of last year. He didn't look the same on the football field this fall but he finally started looking like himself at the Razorback Invitational (7.74). He won the MPSF title in 7.60. He joins a large group of veteran hurdlers that won their conference titles. Faltering going over the hurdles will cost you the title. 

Men's 60m Hurdles -        School  Yr    PR                      SB             2015 NCAA

1. Devon Allen             Ore    rSo  7.60 2/26/16   7.60 2/26        1st ’14 out
2. Jordan Moore          LSU     Jr   7.60 2/26/16  7.60 2/26
3. William Barnes       Kt St    Sr   7.67 2/20/16  7.67 2/20
4. Chris Caldwell        Tex T    Sr  7.64 3/14/15  7.74 2/26          2nd  
5. Dondre Echols        S Car    Sr   7.69 2/12/16  7.69
6. Aaron Mallett         Iowa      Jr   7.69 2/26/16  7.69 2/26           5th out
7. Trey Holloway        Hamp   Sr   7.70 1/22/16  7.70 1/22             3rd
8. Freddie Crittenden   Syr     Jr    7.70 2/25/16   7.70 2/25