Jayden Daniels’ progress with VR simulation has Commanders embracing thoughts video games

ASHBURN, Va. — Kliff Kingsbury embraces the digital actuality simulation Jayden Daniels credit with advancing his quarterback abilities, even when the know-how initially despatched him within the mistaken course.

“The primary time I put it on, I backed into the wall,” mentioned Kingsbury, the Washington Commanders’ offensive coordinator and former Texas Tech quarterback. “It felt just like the (move) rush was coming.”

The previous Arizona Cardinals head coach spent his one-year absence from the professional ranks decided to hunt new approaches ought to he return. Enjoying in Mike Leach’s “air raid” system with the Purple Raiders from 2000 to 2002 meant Kingsbury quarterbacked certainly one of soccer’s current offensive evolutions.

He isn’t about to stunt the most recent.

“I’m all in on it,” Kingsbury mentioned of the VR platform. “I imply, it’s an unbelievable know-how.”

Six weeks into his rookie season, Daniels is the discuss of the league and a part of nascent MVP conversations. The Commanders, led by a extremely environment friendly offense tied for second at 29.7 factors per sport, sport a buzzy 4-2 file coming into Sunday’s dwelling sport in opposition to the Carolina Panthers.

Maybe the one factor faster than Daniels’ accelerated progress is the velocity at which he units the VR simulation. That will be the very best doable setting.

“It strikes sooner throughout the VR than precise human beings,” Daniels mentioned earlier than Washington opened the 2024 season. “When you get on the market, every part slows down. I do know that is coming. I’ve seen this earlier than, (and) it moved greater than 20 instances sooner in VR.”

Jayden Daniels works with digital actuality each morning like a “flight simulator for QBs”@tracywolfson has extra 🎤 pic.twitter.com/LmScO2SBt4

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) October 13, 2024

The simulation from the German firm Cognilize arrived on the LSU campus forward of Daniels’ closing season. The twin-threat quarterback turned a right away disciple of the immersive know-how initially designed for top-shelf soccer gamers to get additional reps past follow with out further put on and tear. Quick ahead, the quarterback with mid- to late-round draft projections coming into 2023 turned a star.

Daniels dazzled with 50 touchdowns — 40 passing, 10 dashing — 3,812 passing yards and 4,946 complete yards from scrimmage with simply 4 interceptions en path to profitable the Heisman Trophy. He had not handed for 3,000 yards or greater than 17 touchdowns in any of his earlier 4 seasons at LSU or Arizona State.

When LSU’s staffers lowered the VR’s tempo to sport velocity, “It felt like sluggish movement,” Daniels mentioned.

That hasn’t modified, as proven by his pinpoint accuracy — Daniels’ 75.3 completion share leads the NFL — and Matrix-like actions round defenders. He ranks fourth amongst quarterbacks in complete yards (1,726) and has accounted for 10 touchdowns, six by the air.

No matter outcomes, not each coach grows together with his or her sport or accepts new and completely different approaches. Some, caught of their methods, are prepared to rise and fall with their strategies. The Commanders workers below coach Dan Quinn retains an open thoughts about improvements, how they’ll apply to a number of positions and no matter is coming across the bend.

“It’s one of many enjoyable elements of teaching,” Quinn mentioned. “Nothing actually stays the identical, and there’s issues that evolve and transfer ahead.”

Washington focused Daniels early within the pre-draft cycle, that means Kingsbury had time to start out formulating a plan for the Commanders’ subsequent quarterback hope. Early conferences after the draft, the place Washington made Daniels the No. 2 choose, led the coordinator to make the VR simulation a “large element” of his weekly course of.

“It’s a singular know-how, and it’s undoubtedly for the quarterbacks,” Kingsbury mentioned. “I believe it’s simpler than them simply watching the movie. They’re going by their reads, they’re going by their progressions, they’re seeing it.”

Daniels can also be concurrently listening to Kingsbury. The coordinator tweaked his day by day schedule to spend 45 to 60 minutes narrating the weekly performs right into a recorder. Kingsbury’s voice is the soundtrack for these VR periods.

“(Pilots) don’t go get educated in actual planes. They do their flight simulators. … (Jayden) has that factor on on a regular basis. He can see our reads and routes and hears my voice in it. It’s as actual as you’ll be able to (get to) getting sport reps, and your thoughts doesn’t know the distinction,” Kingsbury mentioned. “Your thoughts thinks you’re doing it.”

Quickly after the draft, the group bought the VR simulation for its quarterbacks. Marcus Mariota, the Commanders’ backup and a former NFL starter, finds the trendy utility “wonderful” in serving to quarterbacks develop consolation inside an offense and acknowledge patterns.

“I imagine defenses are patterns,” Mariota mentioned. “Recognizing them shortly is vital, and (the VR) appears to assist Jayden with that.”

Confidence throwing into protection and “having a really feel for area” is a part of Daniels’ college-to-NFL adjustment and one other manner the simulation aids enchancment.

“You bought to throw some guys open,” Daniels mentioned. “There’s (defenders) which have performed on this league a very long time which can be very savvy and know what’s coming, all of the patterning and stuff like that. You bought to make some tight-window throws. In order that’s what you bought to do on this league.”

The expertise isn’t solely about after the snap. Simulations enable the quarterback to maneuver within the pocket and use the complete subject. Particulars of highway stadiums, together with the placement of play clocks, allow the consumer to expertise the entire scene earlier than stepping inside.

Much less refined variations of the VR product existed prior to now. Mariota obtained a sneak peek at a simulator run by Stanford years in the past. The 2014 Heisman winner recalled the method utilizing clips from sport tape that couldn’t come near replicating gamelike conditions.

9-year veteran Jeff Driskel “performed round” with VR tech as a rookie. As a “visible learner,” Washington’s emergency third-string quarterback acknowledges the large enhancements from then to now. It’s customized every sport “based mostly on what we expect they’ll do on protection and what we’ll do on offense.”

Quinn, 54, leans into the educating side of his job and assembled his workers accordingly. Seeing this development of know-how lights up the “lifelong learner.” Now backup quarterbacks corresponding to rookie Sam Hartman, who not often will get vital follow time throughout the group’s offense, have a device to assist them study.

“Reps are at all times few and much between for everyone, particularly on the stage and tempo we’re going,” Hartman mentioned. “The purpose for quarterbacks is getting reps and seeing each play 1,000,000 instances. (VR) actually helps.”

Hartman, a member of Washington’s follow squad, has performed video video games carrying the Oculus headset however will get movement illness with all of the precise motion. The soccer simulation doesn’t require working round.

“If I had Jayden’s velocity, I’d run round slightly extra,” cracked Hartman, an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame.

Mariota and Driskel mentioned there isn’t any telling how a lot help Daniels receives from the simulation or how he would execute below middle with out VR. They know that extra reps result in honing instincts. When instincts take over in actual video games, success typically follows.

Daniels suffered a concussion in follow final 12 months the week earlier than LSU confronted SEC-rival Florida. The harm stored him from the bodily however not the psychological elements of follow. He then delivered the signature efficiency of his school profession with 372 passing yards, 234 dashing and 5 mixed touchdowns within the 52-35 victory.

“That’s the place the VR helped quite a bit,” Daniels mentioned.

For now, solely Washington’s quarterbacks have entry to the groundbreaking know-how. When simulations can be found for others to trick their minds, the Commanders coaches gained’t be afraid to embrace no matter eventualities come their manner. The one with Daniels has created fairly a pleasant actuality.

(Illustration: Meech Robinson / The Athletic; images: Patrick Smith, Michael Reaves, Michael Zagaris / Getty Photos)