In a society of never ending possibilities, technology is continuously keeping us on our feet, and making us stay on the cutting edge to be ahead of the competition. Well, it’s no different within the college football world, with new technology not only being used within practice, but within recruiting.
Take, for example, the idea of virtual reality. Seen across almost all sports like an interactive game for tennis fans, or as a marketing tool for the NBA before this year’s All Star Game, there’s boundless potential for this technology. Over the course of the past few years, virtual reality has really taken the world by storm with its innovation and dimensionality.
Not sure what virtual reality (VR) really is? Although it can differ in experience for fans versus athletes, most VR experiences include video with three-dimensional imagery that appears to be right in front of you, in a realistic life size projection. These displays also have the ability to create movement for the user from their movements, tracking their motions and adjusting accordingly.
At this time, VR companies prioritize the sight and sound portions of the experience over other sensory factors, but are continuing to build on their capabilities. Most use a head-mounted display for their interaction, using video that is pre-recorded for the user to interact with based on things like speed, range, and mapping. In a sense, virtual reality is like having a GoPro camera mounted on your body, but with more of a 360 degree effect in a seamless way. Some of the major VR companies within the space include Oculus Rift, STRIVR, Gear VR, Valve Vive, and Google Cardboard just to name a few.
Among the college football teams to emerge within the VR scene recently are the University of Michigan Wolverines. This past August, the team not only created a custom Virtual Reality headset, but they replicated it to have the same feel as a football helmet, allowing not only players but recruits to feel immersed in the content rather than just watching it on tape. Using a company called HeadcaseVR, the team plans to debut Michigan specific content in this season.
An immersive experience is coming. #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/stKljoCRkv
— Michigan Athletics (@UMichAthletics) August 4, 2015
But it’s not just Michigan who is utilizing this new technology. Other schools using the hardware include Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Dartmouth, Rice, Stanford, and Vanderbilt, all using the technology through a company called STRIVR. STRIVR first came onto the scene just last year through the Stanford football team. Their technique was used with their quarterbacks, acting as a mechanism for preparation. For someone who may be second or third string, it can be difficult to see what’s going on during the game on the field, but what this technology does is get in the motions and the practice time in a mental, visual, and emotional way.
It’s only a matter of time before the tool becomes something that is used much further than just quarterbacks and recruits. In fact, Vanderbilt is already putting the virtual reality training to use on defensive backs, ultimately hoping to get more of an immersive view of the play by being able to correct alignments and play motions rather than just watching how the play looked on film.
Ultimately, whether VR is used as a coaching mechanism or just a training tool, it has helped collegiate football teams, and even NFL teams alike, through a series of new ways to hone in on their skillset. As time goes on, more and more people will want to get in on the action, which will ultimately make the product better and more cost effective for the players and teams in the future.