The History of Progress in Football Analytics Presented by Sigma Computing

Evidence-based approaches in American football have been around forever, from coaches and scouts charting opponent tendencies to general managers creating position-specific height/weight/speed profiles. The creation of the Jimmy Johnson chart, through the work of Mike McCoy, forever changed the draft process. Modern computing power, higher stakes, and better questions (from these same coaches, scouts, and general managers) have increased the appetite for data-driven approaches to solving problems. In this talk I highlight the progress football has made, and the challenges that remain.