Snap Count vs. Peak Power Output Over the Course of a Football Season

BACKGROUND: Weekly monitoring of CMJ peak power alongside prior week snap count and perceived recovery can help strength and conditioning staff identify residual fatigue in football players and adjust training loads to better preserve neuromuscular performance across the competitive season. PURPOSE: Monitoring neuromuscular performance across a competitive football season may provide insight into accumulated fatigue and recovery status. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between game snap count (objective workload), rate of perceived recovery (RPR), and countermovement jump (CMJ) peak power output across a 12 wk football season. METHODS: 60 Division I football players were monitored weekly across a 12 wk competitive season. Peak power output was assessed using a Kinvent force plate during CMJ testing conducted once per week prior to resistance training. Game snap counts were recorded following each competition, and RPR scores (1–10 scale) were collected weekly before testing. Linear mixed-effects models with random intercepts for athletes were used to evaluate the effects of time, snap count, and RPR on peak power output. Snap count models were included to assess fatigue-related effects from prior-week game exposure. RESULTS: Peak power output declined significantly across the season (β = −36.5 W·week⁻¹, p < .001). Current-week snap count was not a significant predictor of peak power (p = .825). However, higher prior-week snap count was significantly associated with reduced peak power the following week (β = −6.39 W·snap⁻¹, p < .001). In a subset analysis, higher RPR scores were positively associated with peak power output (β = 54.4 W·RPR⁻¹, p = .032). CONCLUSIONS: Peak Power output over the course of the 12 wk football season decreased and was negatively affected by a higher amount of game exposure in the following weeks. RPR, while limited in response, did provide a positively related to power outputs. These findings help support recovery monitoring and integrated workload to help coaches and staff to make proper decisions in athletic and sports performance operations throughout the year.