Chapter 317 315: The Power of a Role Model

Logan was lazy.

This was an established fact, not baseless slander. Even Logan himself readily admitted it and was even... proud of it.

Logan was a natural-born Wide Receiver. Whether it was his physical flexibility, explosive power, feel for the ball, or Route Running, he possessed all the raw talent required of a top-tier Wide Receiver, making him unstoppable on the high school field. However, in his junior year, on the advice and guidance of his coach, Logan began converting to a Tight End.

Why? Before explaining the reasons, it's worth understanding the difference between a Wide Receiver and a Tight End.

To put it simply, a Wide Receiver's sole job is to catch the ball. A Tight End's duties, on the other hand, include both blocking and catching. Some teams even use their Tight Ends purely as additional linemen, leveraging their size to block and protect on offense, creating a better pocket.

Historically, the Wide Receiver position was dominated by white players, producing countless Hall of Fame Wide Receivers who made their mark in the annals of the sport. In the San Francisco 49ers' history, the famous 1982 play known as "The Catch" was a connection between Joe Montana and Dwight Clark—the latter being a white Wide Receiver. But since the turn of the twenty-first century, white Wide Receivers have been losing their foothold, even gradually disappearing from the game.

Due to the "overall environment" in the United States, for a very long time, black players were not respected in the Professional Alliance. This allowed white Wide Receivers to enjoy a long and glorious era of prosperity. But after the millennium, the Wide Receiver position gradually became dominated by black players. With the advent of the passing Era, the physical gifts of black players were fully unleashed, leaving less and less room for white Wide Receivers to survive.

Currently, among the league's thirty-two teams, there are approximately two hundred Wide Receivers, but only about twenty of them are white—an average of less than one per team. Among those, the ones who can reach the top tier and secure a starting spot are even rarer.

The specific reasons for this are not complex.

First, we need to analyze the natural enemy of the Wide Receiver: the cornerback.

Due to the nature of their assignments, cornerbacks don't have proactive tactical duties in the same way. Their job is either zone defense or man-to-man coverage, basically reacting to the opponent's moves. Therefore, they don't require the same kind of training in Route Running or tactical discipline. They often rely primarily on their physical gifts to play defense.

Generally speaking, the advantage of black players lies in their superior physical gifts, while their disadvantages are considered to be poor Route Running, a less-than-ideal professional attitude, and even an insufficient understanding of the playbook. White players, in contrast, are seen as having advantages in interpreting the playbook, soft hands for catching, and a focused professional attitude. Comparatively, their physical talent doesn't measure up to that of black players.

Naturally, the cornerback position became dominated by black players. Currently, all cornerbacks in the league are black—every single one. Almost no white players train for this position; even at the college level, they are few and far between.

Precisely because black players began to dominate the cornerback position, coaches and teams were forced to adjust. When selecting Wide Receivers, they had to start giving more consideration to black players.

It's true that, stereotypically, their work ethic and tactical discipline might be lacking, and their hands aren't as refined. But in terms of their ability to be a vertical threat, their short-area burst, and their physicality, they completely overwhelm white Wide Receivers. They can gain the upper hand in matchups against cornerbacks, which makes them a more suitable choice for a team's tactical scheme.

Technique and tactics can be coached. A Wide Receiver's Route Running, their ability to read zone defenses, and their judgment in reading a cornerback's fakes can all be improved through training. But physical talent is innate. You either have it or you don't; it can't be changed.

Compared to black Wide Receivers, the biggest advantage for white Wide Receivers is their soft hands—delicate and reliable. In sync with the quarterback's passes, they can often turn a bad throw into a magical catch. But beyond that, black Wide Receivers hold an absolute advantage in all other aspects of raw talent. As a result, the Wide Receiver position in the league has seen a rise in black players and a decline in white players.

At the college level, many talented white Wide Receivers, in order to survive in the league, have switched to other positions, thus creating a vicious cycle.

Another fact is that, regardless of race, the turnover rate for Wide Receivers in the NFL is incredibly high, and it's extremely difficult to stand out. Every year in the draft, about twenty Wide Receivers are selected, and then countless undrafted rookies—strong and cheap—join training camps, driving the turnover rate for the position even higher.

It's the same principle as the running back position; relying on physical talent to compete is basically a young man's game. If even the turnover rate for black Wide Receivers is sky-high, what chance do white Wide Receivers have?

The most direct proof can be found on the San Francisco 49ers: Michael Crabtree, Ted Ginn Jr., Kyle Williams, and Brylen Edwards. All four Wide Receivers are black.

At the Tight End position, however, black and white players compete on a more even footing. The reason is simple: another crucial job for a Tight End is blocking. While physical talent is important, the role relies more on interpreting assignments, reading the defense, and getting into proper blocking position—all skills that can be improved with training.

Furthermore, because Tight Ends are comparatively larger and less nimble, their routes are primarily focused on short passes. In the short-yardage game, tactical execution is paramount. This requires an understanding of the playbook and an intuitive feel for Route Running—an area where white players, conversely, often hold an advantage.

This was precisely why Logan began converting to Tight End in his junior year. Leveraging his natural talent for catching, Logan was an unstoppable force in the short-passing game. At the same time, thanks to his sharp ability to read defenses and his precise positioning, his blocking work as a Tight End also flourished.

From high school through college, Logan had what could be called smooth sailing. He faced almost no real challenges. He even met his targets for strength and weight training with ease. And even though his weight was still on the light side for a Tight End, he continued to dominate in practice and games, so naturally, he never gave gaining more weight a second thought.

Now, after entering the league, Logan was gradually becoming aware of his own shortcomings. This wasn't a place where you could get by on talent alone, because there were far too many exceptionally talented players. As a Tight End, besides his receiving ability, his blocking ability had to improve. Correspondingly, his weight had to increase.

The side of the formation with the Tight End is called the "strong side," and the size mismatch they create is a major reason why. Many Tight Ends in the league are called lethal weapons, possessing both the advancing power of a running back and the receiving skills of a Wide Receiver. Even when not open, they can use their matchup advantage to make a contested catch and keep driving forward.

Especially in the red zone, a Tight End can often act as a battering ram, overpowering defenders to score a Touchdown, or drawing defenders to create openings for teammates. Skillfully using the threat posed by Tight Ends and running backs in the red zone is an essential tactic for every quarterback.

This was where Logan fell short.

In the game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Logan's weakness was further exposed. The team's offensive rhythm was choppy and inconsistent throughout the game. It wasn't just about losing; the connection between Logan and Lu Ke was spotty at best. This led to a situation where the San Francisco 49ers could move the ball down the field but were unable to score.

After a great deal of struggling and hesitation, he recalled Lu Ke's unyielding spirit and isolated fight during the game, as well as Lu Ke's relentless hard work. Logan finally realized he couldn't keep coasting on his laurels. He needed to dig deeper and unlock more of his talent and potential. Otherwise, by the end of the season, he might not be able to keep up with the pace of the league.

And so, this moment came to be.

A little after six in the morning, Logan stood before Lu Ke, his eyes barely able to stay open. Yet, he was ready to throw himself into strength training. Besides Lu Ke, Logan couldn't think of a better training partner—

Back in college, Logan and Lu Ke had trained together, but Lu Ke never missed a single part of the full regimen, while Logan would only do some of the exercises and frequently slacked off. Now, Logan needed to turn over a new leaf.

Looking at Logan grinding his teeth, Lu Ke didn't bother to hide his glee. The guy who had coasted on his talent for so long, making everyone infuriatingly jealous, was finally getting serious about training. How could Lu Ke possibly pass up such a golden opportunity to gloat?

Logan's shoulders slumped in defeat. He gave up trying to act tough. "Alright, alright, I get it. Can you stop laughing at me for a minute? How about we start strength training now?"

"You're planning to start bulking up? Are you sure?" Lu Ke's smile faded as he got down to business. "Once you start gaining weight, your ability as a deep threat will be reduced. I'll have to adjust my long-pass targets."

Overall, Logan was more of a receiving Tight End. His effective range wasn't limited to short and intermediate passes; he was also a lethal threat in the deep-passing game. Of course, in a straight footrace, Logan couldn't compare to Ginn or Williams, but through tactical positioning and creating separation, Logan had remained one of Lu Ke's most trusted deep targets over the past four weeks.

Logan nodded in confirmation. "I've discussed it with the coach. For the team's strategy, as well as my own career path, I need to put on a bit of weight and improve my ability to handle contact. But, we can take it slow. I can't afford to lose my receiving skills." Logan pounded his fist into his palm. "I still love the feeling of scoring a Touchdown. You'd better keep throwing me the ball in the future."

"No problem. Let's get to it, then." Lu Ke gestured him over. "So, how about we start with three sets of weighted planks? Just to warm up?"

"Three sets? Just for a warm-up?" Logan was already groaning before they'd even started.