Syracuse Football First In ACC To Use Virtual Reality

After finishing last season at the bottom of the ACC, the Syracuse football team decided to turn to virtual reality to help them improve upon their 3-9 record. The program recently signed a year-long licensing contract with EON Sports to use their virtual reality software.

While Syracuse is the first football team in the ACC to use their SIDEKIQ software, other teams like Ole Miss, UCLA and Kansas are currently working with EON Sports virtual reality, as well. The software connects from a computer to a headset, the Oculus Rift, and players of all different positions can simulate in-game scenarios designed by their coaches.

Brendan Reilly, the CEO of EON Sports VR, admitted that the program is perhaps most useful for those at the quarterback position, due to the nature of the scenario intelligence that comes with the territory of being a quarterback. Syracuse’s senior quarterback, Terrel Hunt, will likely make good use of that as he works on turning into more of a pocket passer this upcoming season. SIDEQIK has the ability to adjust the speeds of certain players, which should prove invaluable to Hunt as he attempts to find just how much time he will be able to spend in the pocket against certain teams.

However, Reilly does believe that his virtual reality is helpful at all positions, quoting that football is often compared to a game of chess, so intelligence in differing situations can provide competitive advantage. He added that virtual reality additionally works in light of neuroplasticity, in that repetition can be the best training for a brain.

The program costs about $800 and EON Sports looks to expand the breadth of their software to several other NCAA teams and NFL teams. They have even enlisted the help of top coaches like Mike Ditka so that they can improve SIDEQIK and adapt it to help players improve at the highest level.