Students use football to learn about statistics

Students in Ben Motz’s class are using fantasy football to learn about manipulating large data sets and quantitative methods of problem solving.

This is the first semester of Motz’s new course,  which he had been planning for years.

“First, it provides a hook, a fun and immersive connection with course material, and second, it requires a lot of strategic decisions — decisions that can be supported through data analysis.,” Motz said in a press release.

Motz created six private fantasy football leagues and then organized students into leagues based on their experience with fantasy football.

“The challenge for me was to bring this intrinsic thrill of fantasy football into the college classroom,” Motz said.

There are currently 60 students enrolled.

“I expected it to be more technical, but it’s fun,” junior Sarah Murphy said in a press release. “It’s not the normal sitting in a class, falling asleep. It’s interesting.”

— Sydney Murray