This spring, Wilson partnered with Rivals to host a series of eight QBX camps across the country. The camps were open to high school-aged QBs of all ability levels. As part of the camp experience, all participants received elite QB training from QB Country‒the nation’s leading quarterback training and development organization, as well as a recruiting profile on NCSAsports.org where the athlete’s throwing data is made available to more than 6,200 college football coaches in NCSA’s network.
But what made QBXdifferent than other QB camps? For the first time, these high school QBs had access to the same technology that is currently being used by numerous NFL and NCAA teams as a recruitment and training tool.
At QBX camp, players went through Wilson Connected Football testing where every ball they threw registered statistics. QBs threw 16 passes across 4 routes (seam, out, fade, hitch) with a Wilson Connected football that recorded their throw data wirelessly.
Using undetectable technology mounted inside the ball, the Wilson Connected Football System collects the following QB-specific data:
- SPIN RATE – measures how fast your ball spins in revolutions per minute (rpm). The higher the spin rate, the faster your pass is spiraling. More rapid spinning means the ball can move more easily through the air, going faster and further. A solid average spin rate is over 650 rpm, with NFL QBs consistently in the 700-800 range.
- SPIRAL EFFICIENCY – how tight your spiral is, on a scale of 1-100%. The tighter your spiral, the more accurate your passes generally are. NFL QBs are consistently in the low to mid-90s.
- VELOCITY – measures how fast your pass is moving in miles per hour. NFL QBs can throw 54-58 mph but sit in the 45-50 range on average throughout a game. Higher velocity means the ball arrives at the target quicker. The fastest ball is not always the best ball; the culmination of all the data points is what makes a good throw.
- RELEASE TIME – measures the amount of time it takes to complete the throwing motion from breaking the hands to the ball leaving your fingers. A faster release helps to keep the ball from being batted down at the line of scrimmage and gives you more time to hold the ball and make the right read. NFL QBs have an average release time of 0.43 seconds. Therefore the faster you can get the ball out, the better.
You can learn more about the Wilson Connected Football System here*
According to Rivals Director of Camps and Combines, Greg Gibson, athletes see the value in the data and came out for the QBX Camps in record numbers; more than 1,000 high school athletes went through QB testing in 2022.
“Every one of our QBX camps has been sold out because we're only able to test so many athletes. There are a lot of [people asking] during the week ‘How do I get in? I'm willing to do anything to get in.' They definitely see the value.”
The Wilson Connected Football System is steadily changing how quarterbacks are recruited and how coaches build their football programs. Gibson says colleges love being able to compare different players they’re interested in.
“We just had a call from a Big Ten school on Thursday saying ‘We didn't even know that you guys were doing this, and it's unbelievable.’ So, [the connected football system] just adds to what Rivals does in trying to expose these athletes to the colleges.”
Particularly helpful for recruiting, Wilson Connected Football tech puts actual numbers to elements of arm talent that werepreviously only measured by the “eye test.” Supplementing an eye test with objective data makes it less likely that anything (or anyone) will fall through the cracks or go unnoticed. Additionally, if a coach can’t make it out to see the quarterback in person or they are having trouble evaluating their tape, they can look at the Wilson Connected data to fill in the gaps and make an assessment. Below isa sample report that showsthrow data specific to the different routes that were run during the QBX camp session. The granularity of this data means QBs can be evaluated down to the type of throw they are making which helps identify areas of opportunity.
But the value of Connected data reaches well beyond just recruiting. Much like NFL players who have usedWilson Connected Football tech to identify skill areas that need more concentrated attention, Coach Reese Phillips of Quarterback Country Chattanooga says the Connected data helps influence the drills and training programs QB Country runs with their athletes.
“We no longer just have to go watch a kid throw. We can get that data ahead of time to get a good baseline of where he's at,” said Phillips. “If we already have that going into it, it helps us pinpoint where we might need to focus our training,”
That means athletes can maximize their training by honing in on specific skill areas to address any deficiencies IDed by the data.Using their performance data to establish a baseline also enables athletes, coaches and trainers to track players’ baseline arm health and subsequently, their recovery from injuries. Putting objective numbers to healing progress and recovery benchmarks can help protect an athlete from re-injury.
Aside from using the Connected data to evaluate their game and track their progress, QBX camp participants liked that they could see how their skill level stacked up against their peers, college quarterbacks and even elite NFL quarterbacks. The leaderboards were updated after each of the 8 camps so players could see where they stood compared to all camp participants nationwide.
“It’s cool to get to see my numbers and how they compare to other guys across the whole country,” said one camp participant. “It gives you a better idea of who all you’re competing with and what you have to work on to beat them out for a spot.”
Both Gibson and Phillips think Connected data is a win across the board and is here to stay. The Wilson Connected Football System has been used not only at Rivals camps, but also at the Jordan Palmer QB Summit, Football University, Shrine Game, Senior Bowl, Elite 11 and The Opening. Plus, it'scurrently beingused by numerousNFL & NCAA Programs.
“We're in a data-driven world,” said Phillips. “It gives you more accuracy on what you're trying to read, what you're trying to coach, whatever it is.”
Players and coaches alike are already looking forward to next year’s QBX camps.
“For a lot of these athletes, it's going to be fun to see their progress,” said Gibson. “They will get really valuable information on how they are developing and where they are getting better.”
Attend a Wilson-sponsored camp in the future to getyour shot at QBX testing. For info and announcements about future QBX camps, make sure you’re following @wilsonfootball and @rivalscampseries on IG.
* If you're interested in bringing Wilson QBX testing to your football program, contact Blake.Rus@wilson.com for a potential 2023 activation.
