By Hunt Palmer
Grinding game film has long been a pillar of the football world.
Coaches pour over every snap of practices, scrimmages and games at all hours of the day and night to try to improve their teams. For decades, NFL players have used still images to dissect plays during games. In recent years, still pictures gave way to video on smart devices. College players haven’t had that luxury.
They do now.
This season the SEC, ACC and Big 10 have allowed teams to use iPads on the sideline to watch previous plays. Sunday night’s opener was a first for LSU’s players and coaches.
“The iPads were really beneficial on the sidelines,” said LSU tight end Mason Taylor. “Just getting to see what (the opposing defense is) in is really cool.”
As Taylor described it, every position group has an iPad on the sideline. When that unit comes off the field after a drive, the position coach would huddle the group around and display snaps from the previous drive.
“If I wanted to see something about the run game, I can go walk over to the o-line and hear what they had to say about it,” Taylor, who made seven catches for 62 yards, continued. “I can go to the quarterbacks and say, ‘look, Nuss, this guy bailed.’”
While Taylor and the offense were using the iPad every drive, sophomore linebacker Whit Weeks said the defense used it in more moderation under the direction of new defensive coordinator Blake Baker.
“Coach Baker didn’t want us to come off (the field) and just be watching (the iPads) the whole game,” Weeks said. “He’d pick out certain plays that he’d want us to watch and say, ‘what are you seeing here?’”.
Asked to point out a specific play he watched to make adjustments for the rest of the game, Weeks actually pointed, not to defense, but to special teams.
USC return specialist Zachariah Branch zipped through a seam in LSU’s kickoff return unit, nearly breaking free for a touchdown on the 46-yard burst. Weeks, a member of the coverage unit, had to take a look.
“On defense you get a drive. You get at least three plays out there,” Weeks said. “On special teams you get one play, so you get to come off and see that one rep that you got on special teams.”
USC’s next return went for only eight yards.
Sunday being the first time the technology was available meant it was new to all the players. As the season wears on, it only makes sense that the players and the coaches will get more comfortable with the process.
“Obviously, it’s brand new,” Weeks said. “If you want to see something, they’re going to let you see it.”
