As the No. 1 team in the first College Football Playoff rankings, Clemson is in a different position this November. Luckily for coach Dabo Swinney and this young but talented Tigers crew, the on-field experiences on the rest of the schedule are easily simulated through the program's commitment to virtual reality training.
Swinney took some advice from Stanford coach David Shaw, who has installed some of the same virtual reality training for the Cardinal, and has enabled a rapid maturity beyond expectation. Clemson has played the third-most true/redshirt freshmen in the nation (28) so far this season and has nine underclassmen in the starting lineup. A few strong recruiting classes, combined with the opportunity to get so many players enrolled early, has given Clemson a rare collection of raw talent that has been able to learn on the job.
Nothing can match the game experience that these underclassmen have gotten so far in 2015, but the team's virtual reality program does come close.
"The goal is to trick our players into thinking if they watch 10 plays on the headset for virtual reality, in their mind, they feel like they've been there for those 10 plays," said Todd Green, director of video and technology for Clemson, adding, "They've lived those 10 plays while being in a room without breaking a sweat."
Sophomore quarterback Deshaun Watson has been one of the biggest benefactors of the new VR program, adding mental reps to his presnap routine. Watson is the ACC's leader in passing yards (1,936) and passing touchdowns (20), while adding nearly 5 yards per rushing attempt and four rushing touchdowns on the season. According to Watson, the virtual reality training has helped him identify blitzes in game situations.
"A couple times I've seen this blitz and I'm like, 'oh, I already know where I'm going with the ball' and I feel good," Watson said. "I'm able to play fast and not even think and just react."
Obviously, there is no virtual reality that can prepare Clemson for the physical intensity of playing Florida State on Saturday afternoon. But with the help of this VR program, even if they can't simulate how they'll feel, Watson and the rest of the Tigers can at least be prepared for what they'll see against Florida State. Following through on that training with execution is another challenge, one that will certainly test Clemson as a national title contender.
