SPRING 2024
SET: Spatial Edge Technique – A Framework to Evaluate Edge Setters
AUTHORS
Viren Bhatia, New York University
Smit Bajaj, New York University
ABSTRACT
Defensive plays on the football field require the effort of 11 players. However, defensive statistics only credit one or two defenders for the play’s end result (sack, tackle, interception, etc.). Our project focused on the off-ball contributions of the oft-ignored nine or ten others. In particular, we focused on a vital skill to stop the run — setting the edge.
Drawing from our experience as data science interns at AlphaPlay and working with teams from the EPL, NHL, and other global leagues, we’ve learned that professional organizations gain a significant edge by evaluating players’ off-ball/off-puck contributions. We aim to demonstrate how the NFL teams can come to a similar conclusion — off-ball contributions are just as, if not more, important than the spotlighted on-ball ones.
About the Wharton Sports Analytics Journal
ISSN 3070-4065 (Online)
The Journal is published by the Wharton Sports Analytics and Business Initiative and features original student research at the intersection of sports, business, and analytics. Explore the Journal.
