Ten seconds left on the clock. Offense needs a touchdown to win. The star receiver takes one look at the coverage and realizes he’s seen this all before. He darts through the defense and easily snags the game-winning touchdown pass. A reporter asks, ‘Where’d you learn those moves?’ The hero’s reply: ‘I owe it all to ‘Madden 2007.”

OK, not exactly.

But it’s not far from the truth. Football programs across the country are using a video game to help athletes better grasp a team’s playbook and better learn fundamentals. The Pro Simulator, a video game designed by Gridiron Technologies, is rapidly becoming the newest teaching tool for tech-savvy college coaches and the favorite tool of student-athletes.

‘I figured that’s really the perfect idea,’ Maryland wide receiver Danny Oquendo said. ‘We’re all used to video games, so it’s a perfect way to learn.’

The video game contains the roster and attributes of the team buying the game. Coaches input their playbook into the game’s memory. A player then will control the computerized version of himself and test his knowledge of the playbook and football fundamentals.

For example, a receiver hits a button and the defense’s coverage appears on screen. The wideout has a limited amount of time to read the coverage and choose the correct way to attack it. The ball is snapped and the play runs like a typical Madden game.

Using this system, athletes can tune their understanding of the offense. In addition, a coach can obtain a printout on how accurately receivers ran routes and knew plays. Coaches use these test results to guide live practices.

Oquendo, a sophomore, has been training with Pro Simulator since spring and he’s already noticing positive results in Maryland’s young wide receiver corps ability to make reads.

Maryland’s wide receiver coach Bryan Bossard believes the Pro Simulator functions as an ideal learning device for the Terrapins.

Bossard said head coach Ralph Friedgen was at a national convention last year when Gridiron Technologies accosted him with the Pro Simulator. Friedgen planned to give the group 10 minutes, but ended up staying for two hours.

When Friedgen committed to the learning device, the Gridiron reps demonstrated the game to the rest of the coaching staff and soon they were convinced there was a benefit from all the hours players spent challenging each other to Madden.

Wide receivers, quarterbacks and the secondary are among the positions to test the game. Coaches e-mail their players the upcoming week’s strategy and the players can prepare themselves by playing the simulator on a laptop.

Bossard said the game is even more valuable in the off-season when rules limit interaction between player and coach.

‘I think it’ll be a tremendous tool in the off season when you can get them in there and take an hour of the day,’ Bossard said. ‘All that time is valuable just to the offense. We run a pretty complicated offense here.’

According to a report in the Baltimore Sun, the Pro Simulator carries a hefty price tag of $240,000. Nevertheless, the video game is catching on-about 15 Division I universities are using the technology.

One of those schools is Maryland’s Atlantic Coast Conference rival Duke. The Blue Devils received the equipment in the summer and offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien utilizes it for teaching the team’s quarterbacks.

‘It really helps them in reading coverages,’ O’Brien said. ‘It gives you the ability to test yourself in only a certain amount of time.’

O’Brien said the game’s capability to force quick reads makes it an excellent device for quarterbacks, especially inexperienced ones-Duke is starting a true freshman.

Both O’Brien and Bossard contend, like any video game, the Pro Simulator is a work in progress and programmers are still eliminating flaws from the system. Nevertheless, both coaches will be making sure their players are keeping up on their video game reps.

‘There’s nothing more valuable than getting out there and sweating and learning by doing, but it helps bridge the gap from classroom talk and actual practice time,’ Bossard said. ‘It’s like anything: The more you do it, the more experience you get.’

LEVIN’S LOCKS

No. 9 Louisiana State (-2) at No. 5 Florida

Saturday, 3:30 p.m., CBS

The Gators begin a daunting stretch against three straight top 10 teams. After LSU, Florida faces No. 2 Auburn on the road before taking on No. 10 Georgia in the rivals’ annual showdown in Jacksonville. But UF won’t overlook the nation’s ninth-ranked team as the Tigers fall victim in The Swamp.

Pick: Florida 17, LSU 14

No. 15 Clemson (-16.5) at Wake Forest

Saturday, noon, ESPN

Many expected the Demon Deacons to finish last in the Atlantic Coast Conference Atlantic Division. Yet Wake, without its starter at quarterback and running back, is 5-0 for the first time since 1987 and the ACC’s lone undefeated team. Time for Clemson to bring the Demons back to Earth.

Pick: Clemson 34, Wake Forest 21

No. 14 Oklahoma (+5) at No. 7 Texas

Saturday, 3:30 p.m., ABC

The Red River Shootout won’t have any national title implications this year. But it will determine who annihilates the Big 12 North Division winner in the conference championship.

Pick: Texas 28, Oklahoma 20

No. 11 Oregon (+5.5) at No. 16 California

Saturday, 8 p.m., ABC

California has rebounded nicely since its season-opening blowout loss to Tennessee. Oregon, too, has recovered since their loss to Okla – oh wait. The Ducks still have national title hopes, but Cal wins the battle of ‘Who’s Southern Cal’s Biggest Roadblock in Its Quest for an Umpteenth Pac-10 Title?’

California 45, Oregon 31

Pittsburgh (-6.5) at Syracuse

Saturday, noon, ESPN Regional

Forget about Syracuse’s struggles against Wyoming. A win against a formidable Big East opponent will show the Orange are back. SU hasn’t beaten another Big East member since 2004, but with the Dome rockin’ that all changes Saturday.

Syracuse 24, Pittsburgh 22

Published on October 1, 2006 at 12:00 pm