[Quesadilla Joe]

Andy Reid could benefit from having an analytics guy who can tell him the optimal way to manage certain situations...

Gary Kubiak, Broncos coach, finds 'comfort' with football analytics

Denver Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak is in the minority. While an old-school coach in some ways (he still appreciates paper playbooks), he's unafraid of new technologies.

So hearing him say he finds comfort in having Mitch Tanney, the team's director of football analytics, stationed in the coaches' booth during games should come as no surprise.

"When you're calling plays and involved in the game and yet you're involved in the time, all of a sudden, you've got somebody up there who is totally involved in that," Kubiak told local media last Friday. "I just listen to him, 'Hey, Mitch, talk to me here. What do you think?' He's in my ear the whole time. It's a very comforting thing."

In fact, Kubiak and the Broncos have relied on advanced technologies, perhaps, more than most NFL teams.

The Broncos were among the first NFL teams to use PlayerLync's digital playbook technology, and they still use it in conjunction with their paper notebooks.

And in practice, many players are seen wearing Catapult devices on the back of their jerseys. The devices have GPS tracking and three inertial censors to collect data on players' movements and exertion in real time to help prevent injuries and overuse.

In recent years, more and more NFL teams have turned to advanced statistics and technologies to improve the performance and health of their players. But not all coaches see their value.

"Sometimes they view technology as threatening the way they coach," said Brian Kopp, Catapult's president of North America. "It's like anything new, especially anything with data or technology that may cause a disruption to their workflow, there's a hesitancy."

On Fridays, following practice and media availability, Kubiak meets with Tanney to review the ways teams' handled certain situations and how, in looking at the statistics, they would have handled them. Kubiak stays aware, and open.

"I think it's a new addition that's very much warranted," Kubiak said of Tanney. "I'm glad to have him."

http://www.denverpost.com/knowthis/c...ball-analytics