The Sports Xchange

The Dallas Cowboys are using drones to film part of the team’s organized training activities this week.

Head coach Jason Garrett said he got the idea from new Southern Methodist University football coach Chad Morris. At the team’s rookie minicamp, two members from SMU’s video department flew a drone over the practices, according to ESPN.com.

“We pride ourselves on coaching and teaching our players as well as we can and film has been a big part of the game for a long time,” Garrett said. “Typically you have an end zone shot and a sideline shot. We use a lot of hand-held cameras on the ground. … One of our coaches went down to SMU for their spring practices and saw they were using it. They liked the angle. We got a chance to see it, so we decided to take a look at it.”

Garrett, heading into his fifth season as head coach, is embracing the latest technology with the use of drones.

“It’s interesting because it gives you the chance from behind to see all 11 guys on offense and all 11 guys on defense but from a closer angle,” Garrett said. “Oftentimes you have to kind of pull yourself away to get the all-22 shot. This allows you to get a little closer so you can coach better. You can see hand placement. You see where they have their feet, where they have their eyes. I think that’s important. You can look at that and coach them better being that much closer to the action.”