After four years of embarrassment, the New York Giants are finally ready to make the jump to modern football. During Dave Gettleman’s tenure, the team relied on a strong running game, which he failed to curate miserably, and an interior pass rush presence. Instead of investing in the outside linebacker position, he poured assets into a strong interior line, which amounted to nothing.
The Giants now face a total makeover with new general manager Joe Schoen hosting his first press conference on Wednesday afternoon. Giants fans are used to new general managers and head coaches displaying their optimism and excitement about a rebuild, but Schoen brings something a bit different to the table compared to past members.
The former assistant manager with the Buffalo Bills is heavily ingrained in modern-day analytics regarding the game of football. Ranging from decision-making to drafting, Schoen has a far more detailed approach toward building a winning roster. Gettleman relied on his gut far too often to solve positions, which ultimately set the team back years as he tried to supplement his poor decision-making with free-agent signings.
Starting off on the analytical side, Schoen indicated that the team would use any tool necessary to build a winning, competent team, we should be music to fans’ ears.
During Schoen’s opening press conference, he spoke directly to Giants fans concerned with the lack of analytics used in previous years.
“Any tool that can help us win games or gives us a competitive advantage, we are going to use it.”
Schoen said several years ago he works with every department, creating a dynamic flow:
“I work with the analytics department, I work with our personnel department, sometimes with football operations. I work with our communications. I touch a lot of different departments throughout the building … A lot of my background is the personnel, so watching film — pro, college draft prospects, free agency, the waiver wire — that’s a majority of my day.”
The Giants are preparing for a full overhaul in the analytical department and how they scout prospects. With the Senior Bowl just a few days away, Schoen doesn’t have a ton of time to rework the front office, but he has already done a tremendous amount of research on the first four rounds of the draft, giving his new team a slight advantage compared to Gettleman’s binder of wayward talent evaluations.
If you recall, a picture of Gettleman with a massive binder of notes and a single computer floated around social media for quite some time, indicating the Giants’ lack of technology and modern approach toward the draft. Comparable to the Bills, they hosted a number of computer screens and technology-based solutions to help streamline evaluations and player profiles.
The New York Giants are riding a rocket into the modern age:
The primary asset that Schoen brings to the table is refinement with analytics, which continuously makes a more profound impact on the game as the years go by. Just look at any major company like Apple or Google. They utilize that data to grow and become stronger, just like NFL teams do. Any team that is lagging behind in that department feels the wrath of their counterparts. That all led to what most believe to be rock bottom last season, making poor in-game decisions and avoiding probability solutions.
Even co-owner John Mara admitted that last season was his most dreaded since taking over the team from Wellington, his father. Schoen represents an entirely different executive member, so if you were one of the many calling for a young, modernized mind to take over the GM spot, you undoubtedly got your wish.