In an effort to prevent injuries during practice, Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Sam Pittman has turned to Guardian Caps in practice, which he supports the use of throughout college football.
The topic came up during the SEC spring meetings when Pittman was asked about practicing with the new helmet communications. He explained that Arkansas had used those a little, but the protective gear was a bigger focus for the team.
“I think we had two,” Sam Pittman said. “But we used the Guardian Caps all spring practice. To be honest with you, we didn’t have one concussion.”
Guardian Caps are a kind of soft shell for helmets. The idea behind them is to reduce impact and help prevent head injuries. They’re commonly seen during NFL practices as teams look for a way to improve player safety.
“So, I really like where that’s going but we’re looking into these position-specific helmets, and as we found out yesterday, we feel like those are even better than the Guardian Caps,” Pittman said. “It’s all about injuries and protection, and if these helmets are proven to do that then I think we’ll all have them.”
Concussions have, in recent seasons, obviously become a major concern as it becomes more clear just how severe those injuries can be and the long-term consequences of them.
In 2022, it was reported that 72 percent of concussions are sustained in practice. Because of that, finding a way to stay safe in practice is important. At Arkansas, it’s wearing the Guardian Caps and finding a safer helmet for players. It can also mean other changes, like less live contact or even mechanical tackling dummies like those used at Dartmouth under the late Buddy Teevans.
Sam Pittman on having injury reports in college football
One possible change for college football that could be on the horizon is the introduction of injury reports. That’s something that Sam Pittman believes would be beneficial for the sport, particularly for fans who are coming to the games.
“I think that’s gonna be fine, I believe it’ll help the public understand who’s gonna be available and who’s not. I don’t think it’s gonna be a perfect science because you’re going to have players and they’ll just be questionable on your roster that go out in pregame to find out if they’re going to be able to play,” Pittman said.
“But I think it’s going to be a value to the people coming to the game.”
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