HelenaHandBasket said:
Yes, but not to the same degree. There is a big difference from a team sport, where you are only as strong as your weakest link, and an individual sport.
My view is that in a sport like Tennis, it is more important to play more top competition in the season, including early. In football, it is better to play easier games earlier in the season to learn and develop, to make adjustments, to develop depth of non-starters, and to come out of it healthy. At some point, it is important to play top competition, but not necessarily early. In FCS football, with playoffs, as Bobby has said for years, he wants his team hitting on all cylinders by early November. He doesn't like his team having to get up for big games early, and potentially peaking too soon. When the later season is on and competition is better and winning becomes more important, he will then ride his top players, like Chase Reynolds. Earlier, he would want Chase to be fresher, and not to get dinged up.