Lane Kiffin says LSU is examining benefits of implementing AI for player evaluation
By David Wasson
Published:
Artificial intelligence has infiltrated nearly every aspect of our lives, and at least one Southeastern Conference football program is looking at ways for AI to help improve its chances for victory.
LSU has begun tinkering with AI-powered tools that help evaluate game film on potential recruits – a system coach Lane Kiffin believes is a necessary step of evolution in an always-evolving game.
“We are in conversations about that. It probably sounds really strange to people,” Kiffin said while speaking Wednesday to the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge. “That’s another thing, when you talk about it, whether you embrace it or go ‘we’re not doing that because we are coaches and the old coaches never used to do that.’ That passes you by. If you did that, you’d still be in the I-formation and huddling.”
Kiffin said that LSU is developing a process where they use AI systems to evaluate game footage of potential recruits – while also maintaining the human element of analysis – in an effort to better identify players to go after on the recruiting trail.
“We have started talking about using (AI) when it comes to evaluating players, which blows my mind that it’s gotten that close to where you can do that and put a film into it to where it gives an eval of the player,” Kiffin said. “You still need the human elements in that eval, but it is an amazing resource as to what it can do.”
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
