High-tech system lets prep football teams practice like the pros

By Dan Nephin
Associated Press

GREENSBURG, Pa. — High-school football coach Larry Greene thought the big breakthrough came years ago when video replaced film as a quicker way to scout the competition and analyze what his players were doing right or wrong.

Now, Greene sees a new breakthrough — affordable digital imaging technology that further reduces the time needed to compile and view game footage. That means players spend less time in front of the TV and more on the practice field.

"Am I going to tell you, 'Is it going to win games for you?' Yeah, actually," said Greene, head coach of Central Bucks East near Philadelphia. "I think it's the tool of the future."

Though the technology isn't new for the pros, it's now cheap enough for high schools.

Greensburg-based Iris Technologies sells the Landro Play Analyzer for $5,000, compared with more than $1 million for comparable systems used by professional teams. Competitors include Webb Electronics and Pinnacle Systems.

Mike Eayrs, director of research and development for the Green Bay Packers and an innovator in incorporating technology in football, isn't surprised that high-school programs are looking for an edge.

"Football is played sequentially, but it is best analyzed thematically ... because what you find is there are certain recurrent themes that become dependent for strategy," Eayrs said.

Coaches who use the Landro swear by it, saying it can cut in half the time spent watching game footage, freeing up hours for more practice or strategy development.

Viewing, say, every play your next opponent ran on all third-down conversion attempts in its past five games is just clicks away on a remote. With straight video, coaches and players waste precious time forwarding and rewinding the tape to the right play.

"It sounds kind of silly, but when you've got space on a video (searching for plays) you can lose a kid's attention immediately," said Craig Sponsky, head coach of Bishop Carroll in Ebensburg, Pa.

The system is a blue box about the size of a video-cassette recorder and connects to any television. Games can be recorded directly to it, though in most cases coaches or scouts use a digital camera and transfer footage to the system afterward. The system can store about 20,000 plays — easily several seasons' worth.

Using a modified computer keyboard, users simply hit a start button when a play begins and, if they wish, enter such details as play called, players involved, down, field position, time and use of special teams. When the play is completed, just hit the stop button.

The data are indexed, so plays can be easily searched based on specific criteria.

A remote control lets coaches advance or review plays in real time or slow motion and includes a built-in laser pointer.

Sponsky, who got the system in June, said it helped the team reach the Class A state championship earlier this month, though the team lost.

"We're able to see things we may not have been able to see" before having it, he said.

Likewise, Chris Wise, football coach at Utah's Bear River High School, said the Landro helped his team notch the state championship this year.

"We went from 5-6 last year to 12-1 this year," he said. "We've cut down our time scouting-wise. We've cut down film-watching time so we have more time for practice."

Coaches can call up an upcoming opponent's plays, do a statistical breakdown to see what they're likely to do and develop practices tailored to that. Coaches can also use the Landro to help with technique: If a blocker needs improvement, a coach can search for the player's number and compile a play summary so he can see his form.

Players can also make highlight tapes for college recruiters, Greene said. Normally, making a tape can cost about $250; Greene said his players use the machine to make tapes for free in a matter of minutes.

Jerry Salandro, president and chief executive of Iris Technologies, has been in the imaging and software business since the 1970s and previously developed technology for one-hour photo centers.

He developed the Landro with input from high-school coaches and has sold about 300 units to high-school and college teams nationwide. He is now modifying it for basketball and said it could be adapted for other sports and even acting.

Webb Electronics, based in Carrollton, Texas, says it offers several software-editing programs for high schools, colleges and pros, including the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints. Pinnacle, based in Mountain View, Calif., says it sells to most NFL teams and services high schools through an outside vendor.

Pinnacle's system for pros costs more than $1 million — overkill, Salandro said, for high schools that don't need all the bells and whistles such as multiple camera angles.