Let’s face it, the New York Giants have been in a rut. Ever since the team’s last Super Bowl win in 2011, the Giants have had just one playoff appearance.
It’s been a bleak 10 years, but Giants fans are starting to see a glimmer of hope. General manager Joe Schoen has made clear that he is open to using any and all resources to improve the franchise, and he’s following it up with action.
The Giants have lagged behind other teams in terms of technology over the years, but Schoen is changing that. He hired Cade Knox as offensive assistant/game manager. Courtney Kennedy was promoted from football data analyst to football data and innovation coordinator. Three interns in the analytics department have been hired on as employees.
Everything points to Schoen keeping his word that analytics will play a big role in New York going forward.
“From the data and innovation standpoint, the four of them, as soon as I got here, it was service with a smile — ‘How can I help you? What can we do?'” Schoen said, via Giants.com. “I sat down with each of them and found out where they were from, what their background is, what they specialize in, and what could they do. The more I was around them, the more I utilized them. And the data they were producing, I realized how valuable they were.”
Not only did Schoen (in conjunction with Brian Daboll) use data and analytics in Buffalo, but he did so effectively. The Bills were on a 17-season playoff drought until Schoen helped them get there four out of the last five seasons.
Technology and data are increasingly important tools that NFL teams must utilize in order to stay ahead. In businesses across the globe, data is used to give companies the edge they need to be competitive. The same holds true in the NFL.
That Schoen already has experience with this and has already implemented changes within the Giants organization shows that he is, indeed, willing to use every resource available. Which is a good thing.
The Giants need to get out of this decade-long rut, and while Schoen has been clear that this season is for rebuilding, using technology will help him get the team back to par sooner than later. He’s certainly holding true to his word to use every resource available, including resources not previously used by the organization.
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