Is there a tried and true method for distribution of practice minutes? It seems like most players max out by the second of third year and then it appears the only option is to devote most minutes to conditioning. I know it's a matter or recruiting players with high potential in as many categories as possible, but it just seems like a big waste at the end on just conditioning.

I think you hit the nail on the head there.  It isn't just getting the guys with the most blue categories, but finding the guys with high/high.  Also, putting 25 mins in each the offense and defense is the max there before negative gains happen.

nothing wrong with maxing a guy as a jr if those maxes are good/great values. if not, then yeah, its a waste. bump team minutes to maximize IQ development.

ah, hadn't thought about bumping team minutes. Will do. "It's practice, man, I mean are really talking about practice?"

keep in mind, when you put extra heavy amounts into team or individual skill categories, you hit diminishing returns but you still get a positive return for the extra time.

lets take team practice, I have never been clear whether diminishing returns kick in at 20 or at 25.  If minutes 21-25 are less productive than minutes 16-20, it is only by a tiny bit.  If minute 26 is less useful than minute 21, it is not by much. 

Now, if you put 40 minutes into practices man-to-man defense, I bet minutes 36-40 are a bunch less useful than minutes 16-20 - but cant say I have ever tested