On the field, there are the additional hours of distance running, sprinting and running up and down the stadium seats. Conditioning happens year round these days. The competition for each position is very intense. An athlete who takes time off won't be able to keep up. In the conference rooms, there are hours of watching films, studying the tendencies of not only the team but also an opposing player.
Successful players watch the same plays over and over until they can spot weaknesses.
The time and effort players invest toward the Saturday contest is remarkable. After all, a game takes just a little longer than three hours to complete, and most players are on the field for a fraction of the time. For the past couple of years, I have paid closer attention as my son goes through these rituals at the University of Wyoming. I have seen him push his body to maximum to compete against teammates with extraordinary high school pedigrees. I have watched his frustration while coaches have told him to be patient.