ST. LOUIS – This season and in years to come, Missouri Baptist University Football will hit the field with Riddell's latest state-of-the-art helmets. The Riddell Axiom is revolutionizing the safety and look of modern-day football helmets and select MBU student-athletes that will wear the Axiom in the upcoming 2023 season. 

Four components place the Axiom at the front of the race of game-changing helmets. Inside the shell of the helmet is the padding, which in other helmets is pumped up with air to better fit each players' heads. The Axiom stands apart in that aspect as the padding of every helmet is made custom to perfectly fit the player's head that will be using it. Riddell uses an app that scans an athletes' head and produces a 3D image so the padding will fit everyone personally.  

The shell of the helmet has received some criticism, not because of how it functions but because of how it looks. The Axiom has flex panels on its hard shell, like Riddell's SpeedFlex helmet. The difference is that the Axiom has four panels on the front, sides, and back of the helmet opposed to just one at the front. This allows the helmet to better absorb harder and more impacts effectively. 

Another element that makes the Axiom stand out is the vision athletes have while wearing it. Riddell removed the bar above the player's eyes, which helps the player's vision, but also allows the helmet to be more protective dispersing the force of hits away from the forehead. The Axiom is also the only helmet on the market that comes with a built-in visor that is easily removable. Without the top and side bars, athletes have increased peripheral vision. Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, who sports an Axiom, stated, "I feel like I can see the whole field now." 

Helmet construction and technology advancements are leading the way to put player safety as the number one priority at all levels of football. "Riddell Axiom is the culmination of our never-ending commitment to athlete protection and performance. We have created a comprehensive protection system never before seen in the game of football. The technology is groundbreaking. The vision is clear. The future is here," Riddell says in its promotional material. 

The Axiom is also embedded with sensors that relay data from the helmet to a smart device. This allows coaches to see the types of collisions that the athletes are enduring. The data shows the level of impact and can pinpoint the location on the helmet where the contact was made. With this information coaches can adjust practice plans and teach better tackling technique to help their players stay safe on the field. 

"Using the data from the Axiom helmets really makes a difference in how we prepare our athletes for a game," said Head Coach Jason Burianek. "The data also shows us the hit locations. We can then teach individual athletes to be safer when tackling." 

This fall there will be 10 Spartans on the gridiron wearing the Riddell Axiom. Blake Kight and Cade Biedscheid, last year's leading tacklers, along with Darius Morrison, Kameron Sloan, Josh Munn, and others will be equipped with the innovative helmet. The coaching staff at MBU want Axioms at each position group so they can start to see the impact it has all throughout the field. 

The comfortability of the helmet is one of the aspects that many of its users have loved. When asked about the helmet Biedscheid said, "It is easily the most comfortable helmet I have worn in my entire life. It does not move or feel awkward while I am wearing it." 

Riddell's new helmet has been seen across football fields throughout the country in the past season. The Spartans will debut their set of Axioms at home this Saturday, Sept. 2 as they host William Penn at Spartan Field.  

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