Sports
Closing the college football analytics gap
Numbers have always played an important role in football. Forty-yard times, run by athletes under controlled conditions, have been part of player evaluation for more than 50 years. More recently, the evolution of data in the NFL — from basic box scores to rich play-by-play information to ball and player tracking (Next Gen Stats) — […]
Numbers have always played an important role in football. Forty-yard times, run by athletes under controlled conditions, have been part of player evaluation for more than 50 years. More recently, the evolution of data in the NFL — from basic box scores to rich play-by-play information to ball and player tracking (Next Gen Stats) — has coincided with an increased use of analytics in decision-making, from player evaluation to opponent scouting to in-game strategy. Yet in college football, analytics adoption lags far behind, and this widening gap between the NCAA and NFL is poised to become a critical issue. The NCAA is at least a decade behind the NFL in leveraging data for performance evaluation and strategic decisions.
A decade ago, I was hired as the first analytics professional at the Pittsburgh Steelers. At the time, the NFL was just beginning to integrate data into football operations, following the path set by baseball and basketball. Today, advanced NFL teams employ 10 or more data scientists and engineers who provide valuable insights into every aspect of the game using every data source available. College football still has a long way to go.
The college game has traditionally operated with fewer resources for scouting and player evaluation. Unlike the NFL, where teams have dedicated scouting departments and extensive budgets, college football coaches often juggle multiple roles — acting as both coaches and scouts. With smaller budgets and limited in-person evaluation opportunities, the college system has relied on simpler metrics like high school production and combine numbers.
But the landscape is changing rapidly. With the rise of free agency and the looming introduction of salary caps in college sports, football programs face new and unprecedented challenges. Gone are the days when a few scouts and position coaches could track down the talent they needed. Today, teams need to evaluate hundreds of players in the transfer portal and make decisions within hours, if not minutes. The modern collegiate general manager must navigate an increasingly complex landscape — one that demands modern tools and technologies to stay competitive.
One key to adapting to the shifting landscape in the NCAA lies in the integration of advanced analytics. During my time with the Steelers, I witnessed firsthand how analytics supplemented and complemented traditional player evaluation. The NFL’s embrace of data science has helped teams assess talent with greater precision and efficiency. College football, however, is still in the early stages of adopting analytics. As the landscape of college football evolves, programs that integrate these advanced tools will be better positioned to identify and develop talent more effectively, staying competitive in an increasingly dynamic environment.
At the heart of football analytics is understanding player movement. In the NFL, ball and player tracking systems have revolutionized the way we assess traits like change of direction (COD) — a critical metric for evaluating everything from receivers to cornerbacks and running backs. Until now, college football has lacked the ability to assess this in-game action with the same precision.
Take a player like Rams WR Puka Nacua. Drafted in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Nacua didn’t impress scouts with his combine numbers. His average 40-yard dash and unimpressive three-cone drill suggested a late-round pick at best. However, when we analyzed his game footage through the lens of advanced analytics, a different story emerged — a player with elite agility and movement skills that combine tests couldn’t fully capture. Nacua’s in-game speed and COD were key to his breakout rookie season, where he set a record for receptions and yards.
The question is: How many players like Nacua are hidden in the transfer portal or overlooked because they don’t test well, or aren’t in schemes that maximize their potential? Analytical scouting reports give teams the ability to identify hidden gems by focusing on quantifiable athletic traits that truly matter on the field.
Position-specific, machine learning models give further insights by breaking down player skill into individual traits and abilities — quantifying player ability to change direction, burst off the line of scrimmage, collapse the pocket and create space in the running game. With advanced models that measure player actions with remarkable specificity, we provide coaches and GMs the data they need to make better-informed decisions.
But these advancements aren’t just about finding talent — they’re about making the entire process more efficient. These digital scouting reports update automatically after every game. Analytical evaluations are ready before a player ever enters the transfer portal, enabling teams to make decisions quickly and confidently. College football teams face an enormous challenge in player evaluation, particularly with the influx of players in the transfer portal. The ability to analyze thousands of players and pinpoint those who will thrive in a program’s unique system is no longer a luxury — it’s a necessity.
As college football continues to evolve, its analytics capabilities must evolve with it. We’re at a critical inflection point. Programs that embrace this new wave of technology will gain a distinct advantage. By integrating data science into scouting and decision-making, college football can move closer to the NFL’s level of sophistication. The era of relying solely on traditional scouting methods is ending. Those who fail to adapt will be left behind.
The margins in football are small, and they’re getting smaller every year. Just a handful of plays determines whether a team makes the playoff or finishes with a losing record. In the coming years, the difference between success and failure for college programs will depend on how effectively teams use the transfer portal, which in turn will depend on how effectively they use data. This isn’t just about making smarter personnel decisions — it’s about staying competitive in a rapidly changing environment.
As college football evolves, the analytics gap is closing fast. Programs that embrace this change and equip themselves with the right tools will be poised to lead the way. The future of college football analytics is here, and it’s time to take full advantage.
Karim Kassam is VP of Product for Teamworks Intelligence. Karim was the first analytics professional for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the mid-2010s, and has led analytics efforts for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Minnesota Twins.
Sports
Battalion Chief’s Son Helps Stop Burbank Water Polo
The Burbank High boys’ water polo team had its ups and down Thursday night when it faced visiting Camarillo High in a nonleague match at Burroughs. But if there was one weakness, the son of one of Burbank’s own was to blame. Reynold Owings scored a match-high nine times as the visiting Scorpions defeated the […]
The Burbank High boys’ water polo team had its ups and down Thursday night when it faced visiting Camarillo High in a nonleague match at Burroughs.
But if there was one weakness, the son of one of Burbank’s own was to blame.
Reynold Owings scored a match-high nine times as the visiting Scorpions defeated the Bulldogs 20-17 in a nonleague match.
Owings is the son of Burbank Battalion Fire Chief John Owings.
“The team played well. They came through from the second to fourth quarter. It was a high-scoring game, but we kept them off,” the younger Owings said of his team.
Burbank (1-2) got off to a slow start, but fought hard in the second half and nearly overcame a six-goal halftime deficit.
“We were in zone in the first half and we got scored on 13 times so at halftime we regrouped and adjusted,” Burbank coach David Arakelyan said. “We started playing more of a press. Our center defender did a really good job of fronting in the second half. We were able to get a few more steals and get some momentum going.”
Owings scored the first goal of the match less than a minute after the start and five of his team’s seven goals in the first quarter.
Jack Babelyan tied things at one with a left-handed shot into the right corner.
Avvo Ilangesyan also had a first-quarter goal and Daniel Gemdzhyan had a pair of back door goals late in the period to help keep the Bulldogs within striking distance.
Camarillo (1-0) scored twice more to start the second quarter, before Ilganesyan scored at the 5:44.01 mark to cut the lead to 9-5.
Babelyan and Michael Bakrgyan also had second-quarter goals for Burbank.
The Bulldogs began the second half on a 4-0 run as Ilangesyan scored twice and both Jack and Daniel Babelyan each had goal.
Owings scored at the 4:14.62 mark of the period to end the Bulldogs’ run.
Anthony Gemdzhyan also scored in the period for Burbank.
Trailing 15-12 going into the fourth period, Burbank hung tough but could only close the gap to within two goals.
That came when Illangesyan, who had a team-high six goals, scored on a 5-meter penalty shot with 40.77 seconds left.
Sports
Owls Drop Match to Hurricanes
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic women’s soccer team fell to Miami on Thursday evening by a score of 4-0. Five minutes into the first half, senior Morgan McDonald attempted the first shot on goal of the match. The shot from McDonald marks her first shot on goal of the season. The first […]
Five minutes into the first half, senior Morgan McDonald attempted the first shot on goal of the match. The shot from McDonald marks her first shot on goal of the season. The first 30 minutes remained scoreless until the Hurricanes scored a goal with 30:08 on the clock to take the lead. At the end of the first 45 minutes, the Owls (0-2-1) trailed 1-0.
The Hurricanes (2-1-0) scored their second goal of the match early in the second half to extend the lead to 2-0. The third goal of the night for Miami came with 62:57 on the board. At 68:09 on the clock in the second half, there was a goalkeeper change for the Owls as transfer Megan Hogate checked in for the first time in an FAU uniform.
Sophomore Ashley Small finished the night playing a total of 68 minutes, registering two saves on the night to improve her season total to 15 on the year thus far. Freshman Keira Pabalan recorded 44 minutes for her freshman debut.
UP NEXT
FAU will return down south to face the Panthers of FIU on Sunday, Aug. 24, at 4 p.m. on ESPN+.
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To stay up to date on all things Florida Atlantic women’s soccer, follow FAU on social media @FAUWSoccer.
Sports
Dos Pueblos Boys Water Polo Pulls Away for Win Over Arroyo Grande in Season Opener | Sports
A balanced offensive attack powered Dos Pueblos boys water polo to an 18-10 victory over Arroyo Grande in the season opener on Thursday at Elings Aquatic Center. The Chargers (1-0) had seven different players score goals, as every player got minutes on a roster that will feature impact players from all four grade levels this […]
A balanced offensive attack powered Dos Pueblos boys water polo to an 18-10 victory over Arroyo Grande in the season opener on Thursday at Elings Aquatic Center.
The Chargers (1-0) had seven different players score goals, as every player got minutes on a roster that will feature impact players from all four grade levels this season.
“Being able to rotate all the newer players through is really good for the team cohesiveness,” Dos Pueblos head coach Chris Parrish said. “What was great was when we had the juniors and the seniors sitting on the bench at the end of the game, they were cheering as loud as possible for the younger guys.
“We have a great blend on the team this year where we have a starting freshman goalie, we’ve got three other freshmen that are getting substantial minutes, we’ve got another three sophomores that are getting great minutes, and then we’ve got three juniors and three seniors.”
The Chargers wasted no time getting started, winning the opening sprint and immediately turning it into points as senior Eli Carnaghe found junior Lucas Neushul for the first goal of the season.
After a few minutes of back-and-forth play, Dos Pueblos tripled its lead with goals on back-to-back possessions.
On the first score, senior Aricin Marshall fed a wide-open junior Grant Nelson to make it 2-0. After a defensive stop, DP freshman goalie Koa Zertuche lobbed a pass ahead to fellow freshman Channing Wigo, who deposited the shot for his first high school goal.
“Koa has been great and he’s become a part of the team really quickly,” Parrish said of his goalie. “Channing is a wealth of talent. He’s really savvy in the water, and we know he’s going to bring a different aspect to our game.”
Arroyo Grande responded with a pair of goals of its own to cut the Charger lead to 3-2 with 2:43 left in the quarter. Dos Pueblos came back with another goal of its own as Marshall found Neushul in the middle for his second score of the day.
After the Eagles scored on a penalty shot, Marshall got into the scoring column off an assist from Carnaghe, scoring from the right side to bring the lead to 5-3.
Arroyo Grande came roaring back in the final minute of the opening quarter, scoring twice to even the game at 5-5 heading into the second.
The Chargers came out of the break on a mission, rattling off a 4-0 run in the opening three minutes of the second quarter to pull away for a 9-5 advantage.
Dos Pueblos’ offensive balance was on full display during the run as four different players scored. Neushul, Carnage, Wigo and Nelson all secured multi-goal performances with goals to begin the quarter, with assists coming from junior Adam Gelman and Neushul.
The majority of Dos Pueblos’ second-quarter goals came off strong defensive stops on the other end, allowing the offense to get out in transition.
“The important part is that these guys are playing a little bit of defense, because all of them want to go score goals, and quite frankly, a lot of the guys are really used to knowing that three quarters of the possessions another team has against them are going to end up in a steal or a bad shot,” Parrish said.
“They find themselves just kind of eager, waiting for that whistle to just get out in the transition… The problem is, we’ve got to make sure the ball doesn’t go in the goal before they decide to go into offense. That’s the next step.”
The Eagles got on the board with 3:53 left in the half, but the Chargers immediately regained control as Carnaghe beat a trio of defenders and Neushul scored on a pass from freshman Skyler Carroll to give both players a first-half hat trick.
“Eli Carnaghe is going to find some open space in the pool, especially where he ends up playing on the offensive end because Lucas, Channing, and Grant are going to occupy so much of the attention of another team’s defense, that he’s gonna be able to get their shots off,” Parrish said.
Neushul deposited one more goal before the half expired, while Arroyo Grande found the back of the cage as well to bring the DP lead to 12-7 at the half.
The third quarter was a back-and-forth affair as the two teams exchanged three goals apiece throughout the period.
The Chargers’ three goals came courtesy of Wigo, Nelson and Neushul with assists from Nelson and sophomore Ty Abel. Wigo and Nelson’s goals came in transition, while Neushul’s gave his team a 15-10 lead with one quarter to play.
Dos Pueblos took full control in the fourth quarter, shutting out the Eagles on the defensive end and adding on three goals to bring the game to its final score of 18-10.
Nelson, sophomore Tyler Racine and Abel all scored in the final quarter to put the cherry on top of the season-opening victory. Racine was the seventh and final Charger to score in the win.
“What I really want to see is some balance, and I want to see everyone comfortable and confident being able to take that shot, because it’s not always going to be Grant [Nelson] and it’s not always going to be Lucas [Neushul],” Parrish said.
“There’s only 12 field players, so if seven or eight are scoring, it’s hard to guard us.”
Sports
Northeastern volleyball hopes for comeback
Northeastern women’s volleyball is set to kick off its season with the Holly Young Invitational Aug. 29 to 30 in Durham, N.H. The Huskies are slotted against Saint Peter’s University, Holy Cross University and the University of New Hampshire. During the offseason, the Huskies announced that Brendan McGourn would be the team’s new head coach, […]
Northeastern women’s volleyball is set to kick off its season with the Holly Young Invitational Aug. 29 to 30 in Durham, N.H. The Huskies are slotted against Saint Peter’s University, Holy Cross University and the University of New Hampshire.
During the offseason, the Huskies announced that Brendan McGourn would be the team’s new head coach, and Jaime Snyder was named associate head coach for this season. The changes came after a difficult season for the Huskies, finishing with a 10-16 overall and 8-10 in the CAA and a missed CAA tournament.
In addition to new coaches, the Huskies are starting fresh with a completely different roster. Northeastern acquired seven freshmen, one redshirt freshman and one graduate student after six players from last season’s team graduated. Last season’s leaders in kills, blocks and assists are now gone, leaving senior libero Nadia Koanui as the only category leader in digs and service aces.
Graduate student outside hitter Svenja Rodenbüsch and redshirt freshman outside hitter Valentina Meirelles are the Huskies’ only additions with previous experience on a college court. Meirelles appeared in five matches for the University of California San Diego before missing the rest of the season due to injury. However, she showed promise, tallying six kills in each of her first two games. Rodenbüsch won two national championships in Germany and was an NJCAA All-American in 2022 before ending her undergraduate career at Fairfield University. At Fairfield, Rodenbüsch averaged 1.78 kills and 1.27 digs per set, as well as 53 blocks last season. In the first round of the NCAA playoffs for the last two years, Rodenbüsch led her team in kills.
Koanui, incoming sophomore setter Gabby Reeves and incoming sophomore outside hitter Brynn Smith are going to be key parts of the team’s success, carrying on their legacy from last season. Koanui was first on the team in digs with 459, first in service aces with 23 and third in assists with 96. Reeves ranked fifth in digs, fourth in assists with 72 and third in service aces with 18. Smith was fourth on the team in kills and fifth on the team in aces, with 168 and 13, respectively.
The Huskies begin conference play Sept. 19 at Stony Brook University and have their first home game Sept. 26 against Towson University at Cabot Center.
Sports
About Town Redondo: Home invasion, arrests; ocean water polo, Post Office upgrade
About Town Redondo: Home invasion, arrests; ocean water polo, Post Office upgrade – Easy Reader & Peninsula Magazine Skip to content Police catch, arrest home invasion suspects Responding to a pre-6 a.m. disconnected 911 call about someone pointing a gun at another inside a car Aug. 17, Redondo […]
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Police catch, arrest home invasion suspects
Responding to a pre-6 a.m. disconnected 911 call about someone pointing a gun at another inside a car Aug. 17, Redondo Beach Police officers tracked the report to the 1900 block of Matthews Avenue.
Officers canvassed the area, learning that two residents had been victims of a home invasion, and the suspects fled on foot just before police arrived. Officers gave chase and took the two men into custody without incident.
Jesus Velez, 31, from Rochester, New York and Draven Luna, 21, Queens, New York, were arrested and charged with robbery, burglary and kidnapping. Bail for each was set at $100,000.
RBPD detectives now prepare to present the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
The two victims were treated at the scene by the Redondo Beach Fire Department and taken to a hospital, listed in stable condition. Their identities were withheld as the RBPD investigates the specific circumstances and motives of the incident.
Detectives believe there are no outstanding suspects, and no further threat to the community.
Anyone with information regarding the alleged crime is asked to contact RBPD Detective Coates at (310) 379-2477, ext. 3506.
King Harbor ocean water polo tournament coming; boat parade route expands
Ocean water polo in King Harbor will debut Sept. 20. A tournament with up to 10 teams, including at least two women’s, is set for a demonstration which may become an annual event.
Earlier this year, a water polo club approached Redondo Beach Mayor Jim Light about the idea, following a previous attempt at such an event by Redondo Beach Firefighter Grant Currie.
The Sept. 20 tournament is meant as a proof-of concept, said the mayor, the idea being to approve a long-term event. Currie and Vedran Kaluderovic – City Councilmember Paige Kaluderovic’s husband, a longtime water polo player – are working together to organize the brackets.
Courts will be set up in the water between Riviera Mexican Grill and California Surf Club, a short-term location to take advantage of better spectator vantage points, before the proposed boat ramp goes in at the spot. Courts in the future are slated to be near the Joe’s Crab Shack site.
Ocean water polo is established in Europe but rare in the United States.
“We’re trying to activate the waterfront,” said City Councilman Chadwick Castle. “We want to draw more people down so we can all use and enjoy it.”
In addition, King Harbor Yacht Club’s “Holiday Boat Parade” will have a new route in December, to go closer to the Pier and the corner by Riviera Mexican Cantina, to make it more spectator-friendly.
“This is the only parade we have in Redondo Beach,” Castle said.
Post Office upgrades sorting and delivery center
The U.S. Postal Service has announced an update to the Redondo Beach Sorting and Delivery Center, to aid in operational precision and improve service performance.
“These new, state-of-the-art facilities will help make the Postal Service more efficient, more capable and more competitive for the future,” said Brian Cuellar, Redondo Beach Postmaster. “The investments we’ve made here represent more than just an upgrade; they represent a commitment to our employees, our customers and the future of the Postal Service.”
The modernized, local sorting and delivery center is one of 111 recently launched across the country, as part of a $19 billion investment to revitalize USPS processing, transportation and delivery networks. ER