How Penn State's Quarterbacks Are Deploying VR Technology This Spring

STATE COLLEGE | Penn State won’t hold its annual Blue-White spring game until April 25, but the quarterbacks have already experienced throwing in Beaver Stadium — virtually. Using virtual reality training aids, the Nittany Lions’ quarterbacks can get countless reps outside of practice time, simulating different defensive looks and reads through plays.

“It’s a really cool deal where they can go and get live reps sitting down or in the QB lab,” Penn State quarterbacks coach Jake Waters said. “Every play that we’re going to run at practice, pass-play wise that we’ll have, is on that so they can get a ton of reps before the actual practice. And they’re using it anytime they want.”

Virtual reality, or VR, tools have become core training aids for quarterbacks at multiple levels of football. Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels notably used virtual reality in 2023, when he led the nation in total offense (412.2 yards per game) and won the Heisman Trophy.

Penn State has used this technology in the past. Former Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar told CBS Sports’ Jenny Dell last season that he used VR technology to “visualize everything” before games. But Waters, who was Matt Campbell’s quarterbacks coach at Iowa State the past two seasons, is using it for the first time. Iowa State didn’t have the VR system.

“It’s like you’re in Beaver Stadium, like I almost threw up the first time,” Waters said. “You can spin around the whole way and see the whole stadium, everything.”

Different weather conditions can be programmed into the system, but the virtual reality programs cannot replicate noise. So the experience is the quietest these quarterbacks will have in Beaver Stadium.

“You’re in another world when you’re in there,” Waters said.

Using VR to get reps off the field

Penn State opened practice No. 2 today, offering a look at Matt Campbell’s operation. Quick look at the QBs, led by Rocco Becht. pic.twitter.com/Vg1Fh9i2r1
— Mark Wogenrich (@MarkWogenrich) March 26, 2026

Connor Barry is a Division III All-American quarterback who transferred from Christopher Newport to Penn State for his final season. Campbell said Barry has been “the surprise so far” after just the first few spring practices, partly due to his work ethic off the field.

Barry has been eager to use the VR headset. Before Penn State’s first practice, Barry had taken more than 400 reps using the technology, Waters said.

“You can tell he prepares the right way in his play and he’s just got to continue to get better each day,” Waters said.

Just as the quarterbacks analyze their practice film, they can do the same with the virtual reps and track each player’s individual progress.

“It’s been kind of a test run right now for the spring, but we’re running the plays that we have in the install versus just kind of random base defenses,” Waters said. “We can go back and see them actually taking the reps to see where they’re throwing the ball, how they’re reading it.”

For starting quarterback Rocco Becht, who is limited during spring practices, the headset has also been useful. He’s still able to get reps on the virtual field even if he can’t participate in seven-on-seven passing drills with the team yet.

“I’m able to go on that VR headset and get the reps on there, and you can change the speed of it so you're really going faster looking at the defense, processing things faster on the VR than you would on the field,” Becht said. “It’s a great advantage that I think us quarterbacks have, and everybody uses it. It’s great for the younger guys who haven’t been in the offense for as long as I have and then to just go on the VR and see the defenses and see the routes.”

Penn State continues spring drills through April 25, when it will host a modified version of the Blue-White Game at Beaver Stadium.

We outside 🏈 pic.twitter.com/DleYEmiDET
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) April 1, 2026

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