Welcome to the Commanders Jayden Daniels QB LSU

[illone]

 

[CommanderInTheRye]

5 hours ago, CommanderInTheRye said:

Absolutely amazing article on Daniels quantum leap last year after using the VR system. 

 

I know it's long but trust this old man-- it's really worth the effort.

 

If nothing else just read the bolded parts lol.

 

XXX

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The headsets crackled, and Brian Kelly’s voice sliced through the static.

 

“We’re going for this,” he said.

 

LSU faced a fourth-and-7 situation early in the second quarter of an early September game against Mississippi State. The Tigers already possessed a 10-point lead. This was not so much a dice roll for the head coach as it was a heat check. Keep the ball in Jayden Daniels’ hands, and allow the quarterback to blossom in an arena of clattering cowbells.

 

Joe Sloan, LSU’s quarterbacks coach, listened to the play call from his seat in the press box, then leaned forward in his chair and focused on Daniels. From the shotgun, Daniels received the snap and shuffled backward a few steps. Sloan noticed Daniels’ eyes, first scanning the middle of the field, then moving swiftly to the right. As Mississippi State’s pass rushers besieged him, Daniels acted quickly and launched a deep ball down the right sideline.

 

Sloan’s eyes followed the football, which dropped perfectly into the hands of wide receiver Malik Nabers at the front pylon for a touchdown. The sideline erupted. The fans at Davis Wade Stadium seemed shocked. Sloan high-fived his coaching counterparts, sat down in his seat, turned to one of LSU’s other staffers in the box and mouthed the word: “Whoa.”

 

Few descriptors are more apt for what Daniels would ultimately accomplish in 2023. Among 131 FBS quarterbacks who have attempted 150 passes this season, Daniels leads in passing efficiency, yards per attempt, expected points added per dropback and completions of 20 yards or more, per TruMedia. He’s poised to set the single-season FBS record for passing efficiency, and, by the way, he leads all quarterbacks in rushing yards. Treating play in the Southeastern Conference like he’s on rookie mode in a video game is why Daniels is the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, which will be presented Saturday night.

 

“He’s always been a fine thrower,” Sloan said this week, “but he went from being an above-average high-level college thrower to the best passer in the country. It was really cool to watch.”

 

Daniels’ development is not random nor difficult to spot for evaluators. Jack Marucci, LSU’s director of performance innovation, said an NFL staffer told him recently: “It looks like he’s throwing to a spot more.” Improved pass protection played a role in Daniels’ willingness to trust his progressions. So, too, did having potential first-rounders like Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. at wide receiver. But there is another layer to his growth, one that involves an iPad, a virtual reality headset, and a platform built by two folks in Germany who had a vision for a better way to help athletes make split-second decisions.

 

“Listening to him gives us a great feeling that this tool,” Marucci said, “is something that’s made him better.”

 

A ‘flight simulator for quarterbacking’

In March, business partners Verena Krakau and Christian Hartmann flew from Giessen, Germany, located about an hour north of Frankfurt, to Baton Rouge, La.

 

This was not the first time they’d been to the United States, nor the first time they’d shown their technology to high-level college football programs. In the year prior, they’d visited elite high schools on the West Coast. They’d also placed their technology in front of coaches and quarterbacks at the college and NFL level.

 

Most of the time, the coaches and quarterbacks reacted similarly. They’d strap on the virtual reality headset and be transported into an on-field setting from the perspective of the quarterback. Players around them would not move robotically (a criticism of much VR tech) but realistically. Colors matched the real colors of a stadium. The action moved as fast as live football, if not faster, and simulated real action.

 

Krakau and Hartmann sought feedback. Their company, Cognilize, was founded in 2019 and spawned with the idea that elite soccer players could increase reps without needing to be on a field with 21 other players. Hartmann, who coached youth teams for FC Giessen, did not think three or four practices a week were enough to maximize what a player could become.

 

Studying the intricacies of neuroscience and biomechanics shaped his perspective: If he could not address improvement in regions of players’ brains, his coaching could only offer so much impact.

 

Alongside Krakau, whom he’d known since high school, Hartmann pursued an answer to the following question: How could they present information to athletes’ brains that the brain would treat as if it is real practice? They settled on building an artificially intelligent platform that can be funneled to the athlete through a virtual reality headset.

 

“It’s really about how we can control an environment to bring the athlete in the best practice situation possible,” Hartmann said.

 

Krakau added: “We created everything with real biomechanics movements. It’s not just like Madden where people are moving around more robotically.”

 

Both had taken to American football, and a deeper dive into the sport crystallized the complexity of playing quarterback. Playing the position requires the human being to make multiple tens of decisions in fewer than three seconds. Replicating that realistically without the physicality and strain was a gap they believed they could fill — in essence, a flight simulator for quarterbacking.

 

Throughout 2021 and ‘22, Hartmann and Krakau connected with numerous coaches in America. One of them was Greg Studrawa, who coached the offensive line at LSU from 2007-13, and who informed Marucci about what he’d seen. Marucci invited them to LSU. Before he viewed a demo of their product, they relayed their backstory, mentioning neuroscience, decision-making processes and cognitive performance. Marucci marveled at their willingness to learn. Then he and others strapped on the headset and were thrust into the world they’d created.

 

“I was actually blown away,” Mario Macaluso, an LSU analyst, said of the demo.

 

When Sloan tried on the headset, he thought: This feels real. Like you’re inside of an amazing video game. He suggested some tweaks. What if they altered the splits between the linemen? What if they added the opposing teams’ stadiums? Krakau and Hartmann scribbled these suggestions on a whiteboard. At the end of their afternoon-long session, Marucci began to ask when Krakau and Hartmann planned to return to Giessen.

 

“He was, like, ‘We don’t want you guys to leave,’” Macaluso said. “‘We wanted to help build out this product.’”

 

This time, the LSU staffers’ reactions resulted in a full-on partnership. As coaches prepared for the season, Marucci and Macaluso essentially transformed their roles into the beta testers for a new player development tool.

 

‘Man, he looks different’: Programming plays to play clocks

 

Daniels first used the technology in the leadup to LSU’s game at Mississippi State. He had been invited into the initial session and he’d told Marucci that he’d be willing to use Cognilize’s platform as a preparation device in addition to his weekly film study and walkthrough. Now, here he was, crouched down into a quarterback position with a headset wrapped around his face.

 

In the months between their first meeting and this first session, Krakau and Hartmann worked with LSU to add thousands of details. LSU educated them on different coverages and sent them their plays, and Krakau and Hartmann adapted their product so that players moved fluidly the same way they would on the field.

 

Macaluso recalled Krakau and Hartmann’s conversation informing him and Marucci that they hadn’t slept in 36 hours because they’d been working tirelessly on changes.

 

“They would’ve spent every moment trying to get it up and running,” Marucci said. “It’s like anything. They have a love for it. When you have a passion for something, it makes the work that much more rewarding.”

 

The result was this scene days before the matchup with Mississippi State: Daniels wearing the headset, and Macaluso holding an iPad.

 

Macaluso pressed a specific play on the iPad, then said it aloud to Daniels: “Tree Right Hug Y Swift Iowa Cold Flash Z Stop.”

 

Macaluso then selected a specific defense but did not inform Daniels of the defense he picked so he would have to react to coverage movement in real time.

 

Daniels received the snap (virtually), and the technology forced him to read out the plan in 1.7 seconds — faster than game speed.

 

The effect, tying back to Hartmann’s neuroscience study, is similar to a baseball player throwing a different-sized ball to train different movement patterns.

 

Daniels went through this process for each play on LSU’s callsheet for that week and told Marucci and Macaluso that he enjoyed the process. That weekend, he converted the fourth-and-7 touchdown to Nabers and finished 30 of 34 for 361 yards and two touchdowns. After the game, one LSU staffer told Marucci: “Man, he looks different.” Marucci knows quarterback play is contingent on a boatload of factors, but Daniels visited him after the game and said: “I love this thing. I need to do more of it.”

 

Marucci texted Daniels’ comments to Krakau and Hartmann, who watched the game in the evening in Giessen.

 

“We went crazy,” Krakau said. “We never expected anything. We never thought he’d say something like our product made him better. We just thought that we could find a little way to contribute to everything this guy has to do playing quarterback.”

 

Daniels ramped up his usage of the technology to three times a week as the 2023 season progressed. Each week, Macaluso sent Krakau and Hartmann the call sheet, numerical data and film examples of LSU’s concepts, as well as examples of that week’s defense.

 

Krakau and Hartmann added in the different stadiums with details down to the black and gold at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Missouri, to the exact spot where the play clock would be located so that Daniels would not have to acclimate himself to it for the first time when he arrived.

 

Ahead of the Ole Miss matchup, Krakau and Hartmann added an option to change the Rebels’ jersey color to the four different combinations that Ole Miss would most likely use.

 

Some weeks, Daniels would spot new intricacies randomly. Once, while trying to progress through a read, he blurted out: “Oh my! This dude at cornerback just pressed up to the receiver right there.”

 

He, Macaluso and Marucci came to find out that in Hartmann’s spare time, when he was not implementing nearly 800 LSU offensive plays into the system, he was watching coaches’ clinics on YouTubes of defensive back fundamentals and adding them as random easter eggs that pop up the way different techniques would on Saturdays.

 

“You need to understand what the quarterback is supposed to do (to make it realistic),” Hartmann said. “If you have the play, and the defense is running Cover 4, and the safety is in conflict, (how he moves) may be dependent on maybe the seam route or the dig route.”

 

A few weeks ago, Marucci joked with Hartmann that he and Krakau had learned so much about football in less than a year that he could become the reverse Ted Lasso.

 

<snip>

 

--Got to head out now. If interested will post rest later.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Here's the remainder of the article partially posted above...

 

 

What’s next for Daniels?

 

 

Before LSU’s matchup with Missouri 

Kelly approached Daniels on Faurot Field. Kelly thought he’d offer a few reminders for the day that would become part of the lore amid a historic season.

 

Kelly mentioned to Daniels that he made sure he knew where the play clocks were. Without hesitation, Daniels swiveled around.

 

“Coach, there’s one here,” he said, pointing. “And then there’s one here.”

 

Kelly was aware of the technology but still wondered how Daniels had already been so on top of it. Kelly mentioned the moment later on to Marucci, who shared details about the in-stadium replica that included details like the location of the play clock.

 

“You know,” Kelly said, “it all makes sense now.”

 

The depth of what Krakau and Hartmann built out on a whim wowed many of LSU’s coaches. They knew Daniels had taken to the technology behind the scenes, and they trusted Marucci and Macaluso to fuse it into open pockets of the weekly schedule during the season.

 

The coaches also heeded Kelly’s belief that a scientific approach is important to measuring and improving. That Daniels enjoyed the exercise only furthered the coaches’ willingness to do something non-traditional.

 

“It kind of put him in a visualization,” Sloan said. “I think it’s just about making decisions. Make a decision. Make a decision. Make a decision. It was an opportunity to sit there and make a lot of decisions in a short amount of time, and you’re not sweating. It’s huge.”

 

Before LSU’s final game against Texas A&M, Marucci met Daniels in one of the offices before a “Cognilize” session.

 

“Look Jayden,” Marucci said, “You don’t have to make me feel better. I know you’ve done a lot with this. How much has this helped you with scanning the field? How much does this really impact the way you’re seeing it?”

 

Marucci’s hope was that Daniels’ response would be at least 5 percent. If we can get 5 percent more for a quarterback out of this, he thought, we’re doing pretty good.

 

Daniels pondered for a few seconds, then responded.

 

“Seventy-five to 80 percent,” Daniels said.

 

That level of praise already has Marucci, Krakau and Hartmann considering what’s next. They’ve discussed the possibility of creating a viewpoint for linebackers.

 

They’ve talked about establishing exact biomechanical movements of players by motion-capturing LSU’s specific roster and using the data points from those motion captures within the technology.

 

Krakau and Hartmann have started to pursue some of these possibilities. Sleep remains secondary. They do, however, have plans to stop their work for a brief time in the early Sunday morning hours in Giessen.

 

A notable trophy presentation is scheduled in New York City. They will be watching nervously in support of a quarterback who made a massive leap, a quarterback who saw the vision for what they believed their product could provide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[CommanderInTheRye]

Short vid on how LSU incorporated Cognilize VR training into regular practice sessions with Daniels...

 

 

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Edited May 9 by CommanderInTheRye

[CommanderInTheRye]

Huge news on Cognilize!

 

It looks like we are going to have a serious competitive advantage vs the vast majority of NFL teams with respect to the Cognilize VR system.

 

In the Al Galdi interview below of Jack Marucci, LSU's brilliant director of performance innovation (I'd hire him if I were Josh Harris in a heartbeat), that @Llevronposted on another thread, it's revealed that Cognilize is tightly limiting the team's with access to their system.

 

LSU was the first college program to utilize the system and there's one other unnamed college program that Marucci personally invited to use the system as well.

 

That's it as far as college football teams are concerned.

 

On the NFL side, Marucci said there were a couple of cutting edge unnamed teams that were involved with Cognilize last year, and they intend to keep it "close knit" to maintain a competitive advantage and provide an excellent customer experience (rapid programing turnaround time etc ).

 

However, reading between the lines, it seems that Marucci was instrumental in seeing that the team that drafted Jayden also got access to Cognolize.

 

Of course, that's us, but other than those unnamed NFL teams, and us, nobody else in the league is getting access to Cognilize-- at least in the near future.

 

We have a huge competitive advantage right now. I hope we use it wisely.

 

 

 

 

 

For convenience the Galdi podcast is posted below.

 

The portion with Marucci begins around the 18:30 mark. All of it is fascinating imho.

 

For those just interested in Marucci specifically discussing college and NFL access to Cognilize, that can be found around the 32:20 mark...

 

 

 

 

 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Tp6IV4Yrd2bZyx0YOIKO7

 

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Edited May 9 by CommanderInTheRye

[SoCalSkins]

On 5/7/2024 at 8:35 PM, illone said:

More from JD5

 

 

This was a great interview but he confirmed he has a 10k bet with Nabers on who will win offensive rookie of the year. He should not have answered that question. 
 

 

Edited May 9 by SoCalSkins

[CommanderInTheRye]

3 minutes ago, SoCalSkins said:

This was a great interview but he confirmed he has a 10k bet with Nabers on who will win offensive rookie of the year. He should not have answered that question. 
 

 

 

 

Damn.

 

Jayden knew not to say anything, but he didn’t want to make it seem like he was calling his boy a liar.

 

He should have either said Malik was joking and laughed it off or said no comment.

 

I know this is a technical violation of league policy. However, no money has been exchanged so they could say they called it off (even if they don't).

 

I hope Goodell doesn't try to set an example for other players.

 

--shrug--

 

P.S. I hate Florio. You know he was gleefully giddy when hr reported this.

 

 

[Skinsinparadise]

 

 

 

[redskinss]

What are the contract politics involved if he were to suffer a major injury working out right now?

 

I'm just curious because although the likelihood of suffering a career threatening injury at his age working out is extremely low it's not zero.

 

Do these guys have any protections in place before they sign so that they can stay in shape?

I certainly hope so.

[RandyHolt]

Openly gambling.... that would be so us.

[Warhead36]

Guys are allowed to make bets with each other. Its a non story.

[redskinss]

8 minutes ago, Warhead36 said:

Guys are allowed to make bets with each other. Its a non story.

 

Is that true?

If so that's definitely good news.

Also explains why it's only florio reporting on it because he's the master pot stirrer.

[Anselmheifer]

46 minutes ago, Skinsinparadise said:

 

That change of direction is ridiculous. 

[DJD2]

21 minutes ago, Warhead36 said:

Guys are allowed to make bets with each other. Its a non story.

 

Is this true though?

 

Florio is saying the gambling policy does not allow "private wagers between teammates, family and friends, or others."

[Warhead36]

2 minutes ago, DJD2 said:

 

Is this true though?

 

Florio is saying the gambling policy does not allow "private wagers between teammates, family and friends, or others."

Its Florio

[DJD2]

Just now, Warhead36 said:

Its Florio

 

Ya but he's usually correct about NFL policy and rules. Found this (it's 2022 but assume it still holds):

 

"It includes commercial gambling (whether for profit, charity or anything else) that involves third parties (e.g., bookies, dealers, “the house”), as well as private wagers between teammates, family and friends, or others. Gambling also includes, without limitation, wagers made in person, remotely (via telephone or the Internet), or through a third-party “surrogate.”

 

https://nflpaweb.blob.core.windows.net/website/Gambling-Policy-from-2022-League-Policies-for-Players.pdf

 

 

 

[redskinss]

2 minutes ago, DJD2 said:

 

Ya but he's usually correct about NFL policy and rules. Found this (it's 2022 but assume it still holds):

 

"It includes commercial gambling (whether for profit, charity or anything else) that involves third parties (e.g., bookies, dealers, “the house”), as well as private wagers between teammates, family and friends, or others. Gambling also includes, without limitation, wagers made in person, remotely (via telephone or the Internet), or through a third-party “surrogate.”

 

https://nflpaweb.blob.core.windows.net/website/Gambling-Policy-from-2022-League-Policies-for-Players.pdf

 

 

 

Yeah I was just researching it too and from what I can tell what they did is not allowed. 

Guess we'll see if the story takes off or not.

[KDawg]

SO... I just heard about the bet thing between Nabers and Daniels.

 

And whether its allowed or not... it's pretty stupid to talk about. Watch our 2nd overall pick get suspended for gambling.

 

I'd laugh. And then cry. 

[Bifflog]

A bet is not a bet if no money exchanged hands so it will of course always amount to nothing, but let's not let logic get in the way of juicing a slow Thursday...

[redskinss]

Espn picked up the story so it's real now.

 

According to them the rules aren't given to them until rookie mini camp so they're just assuming that the bet will be canceled and that'll be that.

[woodpecker]

Yeah, this is not good. The fact that the NFL is hypocritically in bed with gambling interests doesn’t matter. They are not allowed to bet on football in any way, shape or form, and a “personal performance prop“ like this one is directly mentioned. Calvin Ridley was suspended a year for betting 15 bucks, these guys bet 10 K. I just hope they haven’t signed their contracts yet, or there is some other loophole here. 

[redskinss]

30 minutes ago, Bifflog said:

A bet is not a bet if no money exchanged hands so it will of course always amount to nothing, but let's not let logic get in the way of juicing a slow Thursday...

That's a good point.

 

I still don't know what the exact details on the nfl rule but I do know it's not a court of law so a technicality like that might not matter.

Edited May 9 by redskinss

[mistertim]

I'd be pretty surprised if anything came of the gambling thing. They could always just say it was a joke and they were never going to actually give each other money.

[woodpecker]

1 minute ago, mistertim said:

I'd be pretty surprised if anything came of the gambling thing. They could always just say it was a joke and they were never going to actually give each other money.

They could always just say they never shook on it! I agree the NFL will sweep it under the rug.

[Llevron]

If no money is exchanged and it never is, they should be fine. You cant suspend people for talking about it. 

 

If they exchanged 10k, especially after this because you KNOW they are getting it from the organizations now, then they ****ing deserve it. 

[spjunkies]

There's nothing to sweep under the rug. It's not like they placed the bet in a casino lmao.

 

Moving on