University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols Go 3-D with XOS PlayAction Quarterback Simulator
August 21, 2007 | Football
Coach Cutcliffe
Tennessee unveiled its latest training tool -- a first-of-its-kind quarterback simulator -- during a Tuesday exhibition inside the Neyland-Thompson Sports Center.
XOS Technologies, Inc., the leading technology provider for collegiate and professional sports teams, announced that the Tennessee Volunteers football team is the first to leverage the XOS PlayAction Simulator Powered by EA SPORTS for virtual-reality training consistent with EA's Madden NFL Football and NCAA?? Football video game engines.
The XOS PlayAction Simulator Powered by EA SPORTS initially debuted in late May touting a series of athletic training tools built upon EA's TDT Engine -- the same engine used to drive EA's top-selling Madden NFL 07 and NCAA Football 07 video games.
By using the XOS PlayAction Publisher, UT head football coach Phillip Fulmer and offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe have uploaded their custom playbooks into EA's familiar 3-D video game, fully engaging the Vols in tactical skill development via a well known and frequently used medium.
Tuesday's exhibition had Vols quarterbacks Erik Ainge and B.J. Coleman manning the game controls and speaking to the benefits of the virtual simulator.
"We're leading the nation by taking advantage of this cutting-edge technology and we couldn't be more pumped about it," Fulmer said. "UT football has a long and storied tradition of success and because we look to pioneer groundbreaking concepts before anyone else, we'll proudly continue that history. The XOS PlayAction Simulator begins a new chapter for UT and we're pleased to add it to our football training regiment."
Albert Tsai, vice president of advanced research at XOS Technologies, says that the "tremendous" interest and ultimate success of the technology result from a seamless blending of entertainment, interactivity and integration into the normal coaching workflow.
"We've basically added functionality to popular EA video games such as customizable playbooks, diagrams and testing sequences to better prepare athletes for specific opponents," Tsai said. "Additionally, the software includes built-in teaching and reporting tools so that coaches Fulmer, Cutcliffe and Cooter can analyze and track the tactical-skill development of the team. At the same time, the Volunteers can experience immediate benefits because the familiarity with the EA SPORTS brand requires little to no learning curve for their players."
