The latest fad in college football?
It's not flashy uniforms (already here to stay) or gaudy upgrades to locker-room facilities. Virtual-reality training is the craze sweeping through CFB, and it's much more than a game of Madden on a big screen.
After the technology was pioneered at Stanford, several more schools, including Arkansas, Auburn and Clemson, have signed up for the intriguing service, according to USA Today. Initially targeted at quarterbacks, Bay Area company StriVR Labs offers a fully immersive 360-degree view for players as they run through plays on a virtual practice field, and it's now being utilized for other positions, too.
"It's insane," Arkansas coach Bret Bielema told USA Today. "This changes the game."
EON Sports also offers a virtual-reality training system, but it features video-game graphics, unlike StriVR. Ole Miss, Syracuse and UCLA are among EON's clients, per the report.
Even NFL teams are intrigued by the concept and are starting to buy in. The Dallas Cowboys became the first NFL club to sign up for the services provided by StriVR Labs and more teams could soon follow their lead.
"There's no stopping this," Stanford coach David Shaw said. "We know that. ... It won't be too long until it's all over the place."
Based on the way college teams are embracing the technology, those words ring true.
You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.
