20 hours ago 3

Technology provides benefits for West Virginia football

Technology has come a long way in the game of football and West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez believes that it certainly has a place.

The Mountaineers utilize GPS trackers with players that display the speeds that they run as well as the yardage that a player hits during the course of practice.

Essentially, the vests serve as a comprehensive look at player performance and movement while also providing insight into injury prevention and planning.

It’s not anything new to the West Virginia football program, but it is something that Rodriguez certainly sees the benefits of especially in one key area.

“I think the best thing that I get from it, or we get from it, is probably the yardage they get,” he said.

In the first practice of the spring, the average skill player got around 6,000 yards and the linemen were at 5,000 with the exception of one that somehow hit 8,500.

“I’m thinking he must have kept his on while he was driving home,” Rodriguez joked.

But that data can be used in a variety of ways and provides the coaching staff with insight into how players are practicing and what can be learned from it.

The other aspect that is beneficial is the helmet-to-helmet communication, especially with the quarterbacks although Rodriguez admits that he doesn’t get on it because of his penchant for yelling. He designates that responsibility to quarterbacks coach Rhett Rodriguez, who has a much calmer demeanor.

“He’s the one that’s talking to the quarterback,” he said.

And while the system shuts off with 15-seconds left on the play clock, that shouldn’t present any sort of issues with the Mountaineers as the offense is designed to snap the ball quickly from play to play. On the other side of the ball, that responsibility often goes to the linebackers and is just another way for the coaching staff and players to communicate and understand prior to a play.

“That’s been a good help for them,” Rodriguez said.

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