College's Strongest Football Player
Daniel's Great Strength IS meet verified!
Daniel Cole 5-9 230 Guilford College Linebacker The title "College's Strongest Football Player" is awarded by Biggger Faster Stronger to Daniel Cole of Guilford College. I think Daniel is most deserving of this selection. There may be some who dispute our selection. However, before you do, take a close look at Daniel's accomplishments. First of all, Daniel's Squat, Bench and Dead Lift marks have been verified in a powerlifting meet. This means his squat was not six inches high but slightly below parallel. It means there was no arching with the hips off the bench when benching. It means the bar actually stopped on Daniel's chest before the upward thrust. No touch and go!
It means the dead lift was performed with no hitching. Finally, it means aU three lifts were done on the sa me day. Daniel accomplished these fantastic lifts at the North Carolina State Powerlifting Championships. His powerful thighs surged up with an awesome 875 pound squat. That lift alone may be tops for a college footba.ll player in the squat department. On the ben.ch press, Daniel blasted home with a powerful 535 pound effort. This effort, benching with a pause, probably puts him in the top 10 among all college football players. As for the dead lift, most college football players don't max out on this lift. However, Daniel's 690 pound dead hft in strict style would be tough to beat.
Another important factor to consider is Daniel's body weigh.t. He weighs only 230 pounds. [n November's 1983 BFS Journal, we featured Terry Long, History's Strongest Football Player from East Carolina University. Terry is now the only lineman in the NFL who is under six feet tall. He plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers. [n college, Terry had a competition squat of 837, a bench of 501 and a dead lift of 865 pounds. Daniel beat Terry in two of the three lifts but because of Terry's near world record in the dead lift, Terry's total was greater than Daniel's total. However, look at the difference in bodyweight. Terry weighed in at 300 pounds compared to Daniel's 230 pounds.
Let's look at Daniel Cole's other accomplishments. First, he has an amazing hang clean. It's 425 pounds! Again, that has to put Daniel in perhaps the top five in college football today; perhaps even the best' At 5-9, Daniel can dunk a basketball. He has a 36 inch vertical jump' Daniel can also run a 4.8 forty yard dash. Combine all these magnificent marks and you have, in my opinion, college's strongest football player. The next question is one of football ability. Can Daniel Cole play football? And, secondly, where and what is Guilford College? Any coach or reader who has followed our BFS stories over the years knows that we do not feature lifters. We feature athletes who lift.
I talked to Hugh Gordon, who coaches the linebackers at Guilford Daniel Cole has a 535 Competition Bench! Conference and led the conference in interceptions and College. Coach Gordon has been in the game a long the team in tackles. Daniel made All-East his senior year. time. In fact, he played college ball at Guilford back in During his three year varsity career, the Whiteville High the 1940's with my college Coach, Bill Grice. Anyway, team went 26 wins while enduring only two losses under here's what Coach Gordon says about Daniel Cole's playhead Coach Frank Cianrillo. ing ability: "Coach Cianrillo inspired me," reflected Daniel "Daniel is extremely intense on the field.
He's also thoughtfu.IJy, "he taught me to picture every play and highly intelligent. Our linebackers have to read complex assignment before the game. I try to stay calm and poised patterns and Daniel's the best I've ever had. Daniel has but I sure do love the adrenalin and excitement of the great speed and with that speed he can get to the point. When he gets to the point, he has the strength to take my junior year at Whiteville." care of business. On top of that, Daniel Cole is a great "When I was younger, 1 would work each body part leader on the field'" 3x per week. ] could handle it, but when] began lifting Guilford College is an NAIA Division I institution heavy it was a different story.
I just couldn't do it like playing a tough independent schedule. Last year Guilbefore. ] was just over-training. The BFS system helped ford's football team finished 23rd nationally in their divime from over-training in high school," Daniel concluded. sion. Guilford has an enrollment of 1,300 students and After high school graduation, Daniel turned down an is noted for its high academic standards. Located in appointment to West Point and decided to walk on at beautiful Greensboro, North Carolina, Guilford College East Carolina University. "I thought I could do it," said is only two hours away from spectacular scenery in the Daniel.
"I knew a lot of people there and 1 was really Appalachian Mountains and about 200 miles from the impressed with Terry Long." Daniel red shirted his Atlantic Ocean. Known as the Quakers, Guilford plays freshman year and East Carolina achieved a ranking of football at Armfield Stadium which has a capacity of 6,000 17th in the nation. Daniel tried different positions such people. as defensive back and fullback. He learned a lot of weight Now, let's talk about Daniel the person. Daniel attraining principles under ECU strength Coach Mike Gentended Whiteville High School in North Carolina which has an enrollment of about 900 students. He made AlItry.
Continued on Next Page 33 Daniel Cole is a Great Leader on the Field. After several years, Daniel made the decision to transfer to Guilford. Daniel stated his reasons for the switch. "I was playing fullback and wanted very much to be a major contributor to a football team. I also liked the tougher academic challenge and situation at Guilford." Daniel carries a 3.1 grade point average and is a physical education major with an emphasis in exercise physiology. Daniel also plans on going right on to graduate school after graduation next spring. He responded about future goals by saying, "I \·vant to be a strength coach. I love exercise physiology and I'd like to go to a big school.
Therefore, I'd get a Masters and a Doctorate. Naturally, I'll also get my strength and condItioning certification from the N.S.CA." Daniel was then asked about his philosophy of life, lifting and football He pondered and paused for a moment as he said, "Well, Coach Shepard, first of all you have to believe in yourself and have faith in the Lord. You must also find help from people who know what they're doing. As far as lifting, 1 always have goals for each workout. I think about form. 1 try to concentrate on technique and make it perfect. I try to have a super diet before 1 get involved in my lifting business. I record all my workouts. To me, it's very important to keep an accurate record."
Daniel further philosophied "There is no place in athletics or life for drugs and alcohol I just can't understand it. If you are truly serious about being your best, you can't get mixed up in such negatives. To be an athlete is an all-the-time thing. Sure 1 go to parties. You don't have to do drugs to have fun. 1 just tell people, 'no Daniel Demonstrates his 36-inch Vertical Jump! thanks.' To me, it's more important to be the best I can be. What it boils down to is priorities. To me, it's fun to come around the corner and smack someone." Daniel concluded by stating, "The spiritual side of life is important to be a whole person. You need to be at peace with yourself.
Spiritual well-being is a source of inner strength. My parents have always supported me. My mother has always worried about my heavy lifting but now she trusts me. I love my parents. They've always stood by me." Finally, I asked Daniel two final questions. The first was about steroids. Daniel stated, "Steroids are really overrated. Nothing takes the place of hard work and intensity."The second question was about THE VISION. "Absolutely," he responded enthusiastically." Stretch, jump, run and lift light weights with correct technique at junior high ages or even earlier. The problem is that a lot of people want to do it, but a lot just don't have the knowledge."
I'd like to thank Coach John Patterson who doubles as assistant football coach and strength coach at Guilford for his invaluable assistance on this article. Coach Patterson wrote, "Daniel is a remarkable young man. He's a potential Academic All-American football player. He's the strongest player I've ever coached. Mike Gentry should receive the credit for laying the foundation for Daniel's strength feats. Mike was with Daniel at East Carolina, but is now at Virginia Tech. I'd like to credit John Patterson for also being an Upper Limit Coach. Most of all, I'd like to express our thanks at BFS to Daniel Cole for being such a great inspiration.
· "Daniel is the strongest athlete I've ever seen. He is a real student of physical conditioning and he's constantly striving to improve in all areas: Strength, flexibility, VL % Body fat, etc. Daniel's a good student and does a super job on and off the field. It should be noted that Daniel was awarded the "Best Lifter Trophy" at the North Carolina State Championship! " John Patterson; Strength and Conditioning Coach Guilford College You Must Believe In Yourself. Have Faith In the Lord and Seek Help From People Who Know. Daniel Cole DANIEL COLE PROGRESS CHART HT WT BENCH SQUAT D. LIFT CLEAN 40 VJ FR.
SOPH.
JR.
SR.
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From BFS Magazine — November/December 1987. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).
