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USC coaches use technology to improve QB play
By TRAVIS HANEY, Postandcourier.com Wednesday, March 24, 2010
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COLUMBIA — South Carolina is getting heady to try and improve its quarterback play.
Gamecocks starter Stephen Garcia wore a small camera on top of his helmet at practice Tuesday.
The lens is designed to give coaches a better idea of what Garcia sees as he makes his decisions and throws.
“We want to see what the heck he’s looking at,” USC coach Steve Spurrier said. “We’re going to go back and review, see what Stephen’s looking at.”
Spurrier said he’d seen advertisements for the training aid in several football coaching publications, but he wasn’t all that familiar with the camera until video coordinator Joe Lisle approached the coaches with it.
Lisle had purchased a camera to show a firsthand view of the Gamecocks running onto the field to the theme from “2001.”
Now, instead, it’s getting a trial run for more applicable usage to the game itself.
“We said, ‘Well, let’s rig it all up and see,’ “ quarterbacks coach G.A. Mangus said.
Tuesday will be an interesting case study. Garcia made a few good deep throws, but he also made some terrible ones that lofted directly into defenders’ arms.
He threw interceptions on consecutive passes at one point during the team period, to safety Akeem Auguste and corner C.C. Whitlock.
“He threw a handful of them,” Spurrier said. “We’ll see what he’s looking at.”
Mangus likened the camera to that you’d see riding along with race car drivers. The coaches will use the first-person point of view to go along with other camera angles around the practice fields.
Mangus was concerned that the camera would be awkward or uncomfortable for Garcia during practice, but the junior had no complaints.
Quarterbacks rarely take hits on the practice field, but Garcia does scramble from time to time, so there’s a chance the camera could get roughed up. However, a quick Internet search shows that most helmet cameras are between $100-200.
Small price to pay, perhaps, for a unique vantage point — although Mangus said Tuesday’s debut of the camera was “strictly experimental.”
Spurrier said “many times” he has wondered what Garcia was seeing.
“But mostly what he’s thinking,” Spurrier said. “The camera doesn’t tell you that, unfortunately.”
If the coaches feel like they’re getting something out of the camera, Mangus said the team would invest in others for the backups.
Saturday, Spurrier said he’d like to be in a position to have two quarterbacks ready to play. Freshman Connor Shaw seems to be taking steps forward as the No. 2, but Spurrier had positive things to say Tuesday about former walk-on Zac Brindise.
Garcia finished Saturday’s scrimmage 6 for 15 passing for 88 yards, with a 5-yard touchdown to Weslye Saunders and a deflected interception that was returned for a score.
The coaches want to see Garcia take steps to improve upon a solid 2009 season that included 2,862 passing yards and 17 touchdowns.
Garcia was not available for interviews Tuesday.
Mangus noted that a cut on Garcia’s throwing hand has caused him some discomfort so far this spring. The regular practice schedule has prevented the cut from fully healing.
Mangus said he planned to watch the helmet film Tuesday evening. He said there could be some shots “looking at the grass,” an indication of Garcia hanging his head after poor throws.
“I’m curious to see the feedback from it,” Mangus said. “I’m going to watch it with great curiosity.”
By TRAVIS HANEY, Postandcourier.com Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Leave a Comment | Default | Large
COLUMBIA — South Carolina is getting heady to try and improve its quarterback play.
Gamecocks starter Stephen Garcia wore a small camera on top of his helmet at practice Tuesday.
The lens is designed to give coaches a better idea of what Garcia sees as he makes his decisions and throws.
“We want to see what the heck he’s looking at,” USC coach Steve Spurrier said. “We’re going to go back and review, see what Stephen’s looking at.”
Spurrier said he’d seen advertisements for the training aid in several football coaching publications, but he wasn’t all that familiar with the camera until video coordinator Joe Lisle approached the coaches with it.
Lisle had purchased a camera to show a firsthand view of the Gamecocks running onto the field to the theme from “2001.”
Now, instead, it’s getting a trial run for more applicable usage to the game itself.
“We said, ‘Well, let’s rig it all up and see,’ “ quarterbacks coach G.A. Mangus said.
Tuesday will be an interesting case study. Garcia made a few good deep throws, but he also made some terrible ones that lofted directly into defenders’ arms.
He threw interceptions on consecutive passes at one point during the team period, to safety Akeem Auguste and corner C.C. Whitlock.
“He threw a handful of them,” Spurrier said. “We’ll see what he’s looking at.”
Mangus likened the camera to that you’d see riding along with race car drivers. The coaches will use the first-person point of view to go along with other camera angles around the practice fields.
Mangus was concerned that the camera would be awkward or uncomfortable for Garcia during practice, but the junior had no complaints.
Quarterbacks rarely take hits on the practice field, but Garcia does scramble from time to time, so there’s a chance the camera could get roughed up. However, a quick Internet search shows that most helmet cameras are between $100-200.
Small price to pay, perhaps, for a unique vantage point — although Mangus said Tuesday’s debut of the camera was “strictly experimental.”
Spurrier said “many times” he has wondered what Garcia was seeing.
“But mostly what he’s thinking,” Spurrier said. “The camera doesn’t tell you that, unfortunately.”
If the coaches feel like they’re getting something out of the camera, Mangus said the team would invest in others for the backups.
Saturday, Spurrier said he’d like to be in a position to have two quarterbacks ready to play. Freshman Connor Shaw seems to be taking steps forward as the No. 2, but Spurrier had positive things to say Tuesday about former walk-on Zac Brindise.
Garcia finished Saturday’s scrimmage 6 for 15 passing for 88 yards, with a 5-yard touchdown to Weslye Saunders and a deflected interception that was returned for a score.
The coaches want to see Garcia take steps to improve upon a solid 2009 season that included 2,862 passing yards and 17 touchdowns.
Garcia was not available for interviews Tuesday.
Mangus noted that a cut on Garcia’s throwing hand has caused him some discomfort so far this spring. The regular practice schedule has prevented the cut from fully healing.
Mangus said he planned to watch the helmet film Tuesday evening. He said there could be some shots “looking at the grass,” an indication of Garcia hanging his head after poor throws.
“I’m curious to see the feedback from it,” Mangus said. “I’m going to watch it with great curiosity.”
DAL @ GB
