Should a Fat LineBacker Run Faster in Hitting a small Receiver

[mrscintilla]

As you know, if two cars collide, they better slow down to reduce the kinetic energy in the collision. But suppose a fat linebacker which will definitely crush a small receiver. Then what stops him, who has the fat weight and inertia, from running faster to increase the kinetic energy and "bounce out" the small guy? Wonder if coaches actually teach their big guys to do just so.

 

[imported_frostbite]

I don't know about college or pro, but in my highschool, I play Defensive End, and if we're going to hit someone, whether they're smaller or bigger, we accellerate. Biggest impact is what matters, so no matter the size accellerate and get low...

I'm not quite sure that I understand the question, so if this doesn't answer it, then yeah...

 

[Pr0d1gy]

Usually the LB just loses their balance after running through the WR, or the WR dodges the hit and the LB has to slow down to adjust.

 

[DrPizza]

Allow me to correct a misconception you appear to have...

You apparently think that momentum (product of mass and velocity) is the same thing as inertia.
WRONG
The simplest way to define inertia would be to say it's just another word for mass. (not completely accurate, but close enough)

What has more inertia: 101 kilograms of feathers sitting in a pile or a 100 kilogram defensive end running at full speed? Answer: 101 kg of feathers.

 

[DrPizza]

Oh, and to answer your first question:
net momentum is always conserved in collisions.
Kinetic energy is not necessarily conserved - only in perfectly elastic collisions (which don't happen in the real world) Most collisions are mix of elastic and inelastic.

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: mrscintilla
But suppose a fat linebacker which will definitely crush a small receiver. Then what stops him, who has the fat weight and inertia, from running faster to increase the kinetic energy and "bounce out" the small guy? Wonder if coaches actually teach their big guys to do just so.

This isn't a technical question.

The big linebackers DO try to smash the receivers. And yes, they're taught to really pound the guy.