BY THE NUMBERS
Sean Gleeson loves analytics and OSU's 52-36 win against Oregon State offers data he can use
STILLWATER — Oklahoma State coach Mike Gun dy hasn't fully bought into these newfangled football analytics.
But he's not the old coach yelling at the stat nerds to get off his 50- yard line, either. He sees it as a generational difference.
When your offensive coordinator is part of the analytics generation, you have to buy into some of it — both literally and figuratively.
In the off season, Gundy purchased the advanced
analytics system that became popular when the Philadelphia Eagles used it to win the Super Bowl two seasons ago.
OSU' snewp lay-caller, 34- year- old Sean Gleeson, loves a deep dive into the numbers, and the EdjSports analytics system is like a shiny,
new toy for him.
“He's outstanding with figuring out what is truly good and not,” OSU associate head coach Kasey Dunn said of Gleeson. “He's a very smart, analytical guy. He's big into analytics. He likes the numbers. He wants to figure it out.
“Is a play really worth it? If we run it 20 times in practice, and we call it one time in
a game, that's overkill. That's a mistake. He's been outstanding in figuring out that the right plays are being called in practice in order to be successful in the game.”
Glees on knows the image all this analytics talk is likely to conjure up: the former math teacher who came from the Ivy League with the tapedup glasses and the endless spreadsheets telling him
what decisions to make on game day.
“Analytics i s ki nd of a buzzword in coaching right now,” Gleeson said. “I think analytics is just making decisions that are really informed. I still do things that are kinda like old ball coaches, where you draw something up in the dirt or you ride a hunch.
“Analytics is a helpful way to get i nformation to you that helps tell the truth about what you're doing.”
With his first game of data to dissect, Gleeson expects it to benefit the
Cowboys in multiple ways.
“We talk a lot about efficiency,” Gleeson said. “Analytics help to inform us about what's going well for our offense and what might not be.
“Where it helps the most is avoiding jammin ga square peg in a round hole, because you don't have the data on it. Sometimes when things reveal themselves as not being great for you, you go in a different direction.”
Having the statistical information to add to his knowledge base brings value. He likes seeing which plays are working and which ones aren't, or what his play-calling trends are so he can avoid routines opponents could catch onto.
Yet Glees on knows there are still times when coaching with emotion and fundamental sand gut instincts are the best option.
“I started as a high school coach,” he said. “There aren't any analytics that are gonna help you when you're trying to teach a kid to get in a stance.
“I just want to be well-rounded.”