The Huskers have yet to take a snap this season, yet heroes are already emerging. David Graff, who worked in the Nebraska sports information office from 2004 through 2006, has helped renivent the cumbersome old playbook into a portable, fun, player-centric experience.

What started as a design studio project in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s J.D. Edwards Honors Program, of which Graff, Brian Kaiser and John Wirtz were members, is now a tech business by the name of Agile Sports Technologies. Agile’s first and best client is Coach Bill Callahan.

Graff & Co. presented a prototype of their Huddle System to Nebraska coach Bill Callahan and his staff in February 2006.

While computer simulators and viewing video of football plays by computer via DVD are not new concepts, the interactive and portable nature of a virtual playbook advances the idea. Having it available throughout an entire organization is potentially an invaluable learning tool, particularly in an advanced offensive system based on West Coast principles, such as Nebraska’s.

“Coach Callahan is really receptive to new technologies, so he’s been a really good guy to work with,” said Graff, the company’s CEO. “He’s a very progressive coach from that standpoint.”

[via Omaha World Herald]