Sport Analytics Students Make Significant Contributions to Shaping UFL Rulebook and Tactics
In an unprecedented partnership, the United Football League (UFL) hired five students from the David B. Falk College of Sport at Syracuse University to work for them during the 2025 season. This collaboration marked the first between an American college or university and the nation's premier spring football league.
The students, including Austin Ambler, Danny Baris, Toby Halpern, Zach Seidel (all graduating in December 2025), Nolan Bruton (graduating in 2026), Eleanor O'Connor (graduating in 2027), and Johann Perera (current student), worked on several significant projects for the UFL throughout the season.
One project involved Austin Ambler and Danny Baris developing a "QB Decision Score" metric to quantify quarterback decision-making. This innovative metric determines if a quarterback made the right passing decision based on the predicted Expected Points Added (EPA) of each receiver on the play.
The students also worked on a point after touchdown conversion (PAT) decision chart, an onside kick alternative, and game timing. Their analysis led to the new kickoff rule that was first used in the XFL and later adopted by the NFL before the 2024 season.
Dany Garcia, film producer and UFL co-owner, was impressed by the students' presentation. UFL officials, including Operations Manager Bryan Kilmeade, Senior Vice President of Technology Scott Harniman, and Vice President of Football Technology Brad Campbell, were also impressed with the speed and quality of the students' work.
During the UFL's championship weekend, the students traveled to St. Louis and staffed the Fan Fest Sportable booth and the Tech Suite, showcasing their work from the season.
The partnership between the UFL and the Falk College of Sport has exceeded expectations and may lead to the students' data analysis models being used in the NFL. The new skills gained by the students can be applied to other projects in their future professional roles.
Bryan Kilmeade, who was a sport management major in the Falk College, stayed connected with Rodney Paul, the Department of Sport Analytics Chair, and Francesco Riverso, the current Director of Corporate Partnerships and External Engagement, throughout his early professional career. He reached out to them for data regarding kickoffs while he was with the XFL.
For more details about this partnership, visit the Falk College of Sport's website. The full story can be found there.
Daryl Johnston, former Syracuse University football star, serves as the UFL's executive vice president of football operations. Russ Brandon, UFL President and CEO, is a member of the Falk College of Sport Advisory Board.
The Falk College of Sport analytics students also used the Sportable tracking device to measure fans' throwing skills during the season. This partnership has been a win-win for both the UFL and the students, providing real-world experience and new technical skills.
- The Falk College of Sport students, who specialized in education-and-self-development areas like sports analytics, utilized their skills in online-education projects for the United Football League (UFL), such as creating a "QB Decision Score" metric and a point after touchdown conversion (PAT) decision chart.
- The collaboration between the UFL and the Falk College of Sport resulted in the students gaining practical experience in various sports-related fields, including football, while contributing innovative ideas like an onside kick alternative and game timing improvements, some of which were later adopted by leagues such as the NFL.
