Syracuse, N.Y. — You may have seen the pictures. Black padding that kind of resembles a turtle shell swallows the orange on the Syracuse football helmet during spring practice.

Every player, from linemen to kickers, has been wearing the protective headgear for the last week or so. They're called Guardian Caps, designed by a materials engineering company in Atlanta which also produces materials for impact for the military, soft playgrounds and assistant living homes.

By wearing the Guardian Caps, Syracuse hopes to reduce the risk of head injuries. Tests have shown the lightweight, soft-shell helmet cover reduces impact by up to 33 percent. The company notes researchers do not agree how the results of impact tests relate to concussions, nor should any conclusions be drawn about a reduction of risk or severity of concussive injury.

"It just felt like, why not?" Syracuse head coach Scott Shafer said. "Why wouldn't you? If you have something that can decrease the percentage of impact, why not protect (the players)?"

According to a company representative, Syracuse invested between $2-3,000 for a bulk package of 75-100 units. The decision to wear them came around the time offensive lineman Kyle Knapp was disqualified from playing football at Syracuse because of his concussion history.

About 10 percent of Football Bowl Subdivisions schools use the Guardian in some capacity, according to Matt Simonds, the national sales coordinator for Guardian Caps. The company first got buy-in earlier this decade from South Carolina and Division III Elmhurst, where SU quarterbacks coach Tim Lester and offensive line coach Joe Adam were first exposed to the product.

Syracuse started discussing the product last year, Simonds said, and received more information in January at the AFCA coaches' convention in Indianapolis. Talks intensified about two weeks ago, and Syracuse spoke with several schools already using the product, such as Clemson, Boston College and Temple, to gain understanding of its effect.

"Football is a sport of followers," Simonds said. "It's why everyone runs the same offense; something works and gives you an advantage. It's the same type of development.

"I think that's fair. With all those different decision-makers, everyone has to be comfortable implementing the product before it's actually purchased and put on the athletes because we are doing something a little bit different. You have to be confident it's a good move for your kids and you're being a leader and not being too quick and foolish."

Simonds said the company's clientele consists of about 10-15 Football Bowl Subdivision schools. The typical shelf life for the Guardian is about two years, depending on the position and level of play. A collegiate fullback will naturally wither his down faster than a Pop Warner defensive back.

The company has no current plans to take the product to the NFL. For all the red tape that exists implementing it in a college football program — speaking with coaches, athletic trainers, team doctors, equipment managers, athletic directors, sometimes even general counsel — professional football has more obstacles to clear. Plus, contact in practice is usually limited in the NFL, and the Guardian is mainly designed for practice.

It is still a relatively new product, but feedback from coaches who have used the Guardian Caps in practice have been positive, Simonds said.

"The coaches really want to know if it's going to get more guys to Friday night," he said. "That's ultimately what a coach wants to know.

"We always preach it's only going to go so far, but in combination with additional efforts, like neck strengthening, proper diagnoses and treatment and technique work, then you're really going to see your numbers decline. You're really going to see you have the safest program you can possibly have. But don't just implement the Guardian Cap. Implement it as a leg of the table."

Syracuse implemented a neck-strengthening exercise under former coach Doug Marrone to help combat concussions, hoping to reverse a trend that is at the heart of the player safety debate in football. Knapp's career-ending injury was the second such instance in two years — and third time in four years. Last year, junior college-transfer defensive lineman Tyler Marona was disqualified because of his history with head injuries. In 2011, fullback Adam Harris had his college career end as well.

Will this head gear end the epidemic? No.

But it's a step Syracuse believes is progressive.

"I know practice is a little quieter, you don't hear that pop and that cracking of the helmet," Shafer said. "So I'm hoping that they'll help out a little bit. Even if it helps with two kids, you know, then it was well worth the money spent."

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