EAST HANOVER Renell Wren Jersey , N.J. (AP) — That doesn’t mean he won’t run the gauntlet with his guys to prove a point.When Rhule was helping turn around the program at Temple, he already had many of his players outfitted with XTECH shoulder pads, a revolutionary protective device that is gaining traction on all levels of football.“I even wore the XTECH pads and went through bull-in-the-ring while I was at Temple,” he recalls, “and I can tell you that the next day I felt less sore than I should have felt.”That’s the refrain from many a player, including NFL stars such as Khalil Mack, Matt Ryan, Odell Beckham Jr., and Andrew Luck — who missed an entire season because of shoulder issues.“I had a unique history after being at the New York Giants where several players wore the XTECH pads ,” says Rhule, who left Temple for Baylor in 2016. “Then Muhammad Wilkerson, who played for me at Temple, was a proponent of the pads. I had a chance to see them work firsthand. When we went to Temple http://www.bengalscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-michael-jordan-jersey , we put them on several guys, and they all had positive reviews. Shoulder injuries went down. Upon coming to Baylor, we had a chance to implement the same thing. We’ve watched our occurrence of injuries and postseason surgeries come down subsequently.“The pads have been shown to work at a high level, and we have had tremendous personal success with them. The vast majority of our players have enjoyed the pads and appreciated the commitment to their health and welfare. I’ve even had other coaches reach out to me over the years to ask about them.”That seems to be the reaction from high schools — famed Mater Dei in Santa Ana, California, originally bought three sets and now the entire team is wearing XTECH — to college, where company co-founder Bob Broderick says close to 500 schools across all levels have players suiting up in the pads, with virtually the entire Washington State roster using them.Dozens of players at the likes of Michigan, Penn State, Syracuse, Mississippi and Notre Dame use the pads.As for the pros — the NFL does not survey shoulder pads as it does helmets — Patriots running back James White, in the midst of the finest season of his five-year career, says: “I like that the pads are light and give me a lot of range to move my arms. But at the same time, they give me all the protection my shoulders need. I’ve always given thought to my shoulder pads because as a person who runs and catches the football T.J. Hockenson Jersey , I feel like you should have the right pads to help you get your job done.”XTECH has been on the job for six years, though the work staff is small: 11 full-timers, seven part-timers. That could be increased as Broderick and co-founder Ted Monica break into the European market; there are distribution deals in place for January to expand in Germany, Switzerland and the UK. Also next year, XTECH will make available its first five-padded girdle; most states require all high school football players to wear a five-padded girdle.Their Cover-2 Program works with NFL teams, current and former coaches and players to buy pads and donate them back to their high schools. Zach Ertz, Melvin Gordon and the McCourty brothers have done so, and the Giants donated equipment to the New York Police Department’s football squad.Monica has worked in the football equipment world for nearly 38 years. He custom designs every pad, which Broderick says are the only pads made entirely in the United States.What makes those pads stand out?The patented design features the only dual-cantilever system on the market, an adjustable three-piece body system that allows each pad to fit the player’s body at the proper angle while creating a natural channel for the AC joint to sit in.On the performance side, a three-point swivel system allows for enhanced range of motion, and air flow occurs into the front and back to work in conjunction with uniforms, allowing for maximum ventilation.Additionally, XTECH uses XRD Technology http://www.lionscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-jahlani-tavai-jersey , which is well known in the military space and is the foam XTECH uses in the entire pad. XRD, a division of Rogers Corporation, has a multi-year exclusive partnership with XTECH for American football.Monica calls it “smart foam,” which is water resistant as well as highly protective and durable.The majority of the shoulder pad industry uses foam from China and an “air management” system which was developed in the 1970s. Think of a pillow and every time you hit it air goes out the side, and it compresses down and is therefore less protective for the subsequent hit.According to many of the players using XTech’s pads, that’s never been a concern.Recent company addition Brooks Barnard is the vice president of sales and left Under Armour after 12 years overseeing its high school properties to join XTECH. He was attracted by XTech’s implementing “an idea that was disruptive and challenged a predictable way of thinking.”“As I spent time in locker rooms across the country, I noticed the XTECH brand growing in popularity with elite athletes as their choice of pads to wear on Friday nights,” he says. “The design of XTECH naturally captures your attention and automatically engages any football mind. It was evident that XTECH was sought by top players at the NFL and NCAA level and a groundswell was happening at the high school level. Several of the nationally ranked programs in the country already had players in XTECH and I witnessed first-hand what top recruits were saying about the pad.”If anyone needs a reliable shoulder pad, naturally it is Luck. The first overall selection in the 2012 draft and the Colts‘ franchise QB since then never suited up in 2017. He’s back now and having a strong season despite a general dearth of talent around him.Luck is intrigued by technology, but his reasons for switching to XTECH appear simpler.“Just a little lighter,” Luck says. “Been wearing the same shoulder pads and thought I’d try a new one out. It didn’t come from a place that I need something different, I need more protection. It was just some new technology that our equipment managers came to me about and it’s worked well so far.” The sweet-swinging Cleveland Indians are taking their show on the road after one successful homestand.

Edwin Encarnacion hit an eighth-inning grand slam, helping the Indians rout the Detroit Tigers 12-2 on Sunday for their season-high seventh straight win.

Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez and Jason Kipnis also connected for Cleveland Will Harris Jersey , which outscored Detroit 26-3 in the three-game sweep. Ramirez finished with three hits, extending his streak of reaching base to 31 consecutive games.

”Everybody’s doing their part,” Encarnacion said. ”The top of the lineup, the bottom of the lineup. Everything’s going great.”

Adam Plutko (4-1) pitched six innings of two-run ball, becoming the second rookie starter to beat the Tigers in the series. Shane Bieber pitched seven innings in Friday night’s 12-0 win.

Tigers starter Matthew Boyd (4-6) allowed a season-high six runs in three-plus innings in his shortest outing of the season.

Detroit has lost five straight overall and is 3-10 against Cleveland this season.

”They’re hot, they’re swinging the bats good, and they jumped on us early again today,” Detroit manager Ron Gardenhire said. ”The ball is flying here now.”

The Indians have outscored their opponents 54-9 during their win streak. They open a nine-game road trip Monday night in St. Louis.

”We’re having a lot of fun,” Encarnacion said.

Cleveland had the game in hand when it added five more runs in the eighth. Kipnis hit a leadoff drive against Artie Lewicki. Lindor’s single and a double by Michael Brantley put runners on second and third.

Ramirez was intentionally walked and Encarnacion followed with a drive to right for his 11th career grand slam.

”When Edwin swings like that, it has to make them think twice,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. ”Then when they pitch around somebody, you love to see it hurt the other team. And you can tell Edwin was really bearing down there.”

Niko Goodrum and James McCann had RBI singles for Detroit in the fourth.

ADD AN O TO OHIO

The Tigers have lost all nine games they have played in the state of Ohio this season. Detroit was swept in a four-game series at Progressive Field in April. The Tigers lost both games in Cincinnati this week before heading north. The Tigers return to Cleveland in September.

”They took it to us this weekend, there’s no doubt,” McCann said.

CAN’T LOOK

Francona doesn’t enjoy certain parts of interleague games in NL parks http://www.lionscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-austin-bryant-jersey , such as when his pitchers have to hit. Mike Clevinger, Corey Kluber and Bieber will be the starters in St. Louis.

”They’re doing things they’re not used to, even running the bases,” Francona said. ”They’re just not used to doing that during a game. They’re using different muscles, not that they’re not in good shape but they’re just doing different things. We definitely are holding our breath.”

BAD INNING

The eighth was difficult for Lewicki, who was hit on the right ankle by Lindor’s hard grounder to the mound. He remained in the game after a visit from Gardenhire and a team trainer, but gave up the grand slam before finally being pulled.

The right-hander allowed six runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: RHP Drew VerHagen (broken nose) will not resume baseball activities for two weeks after being struck on the face with a throw from shortstop Jose Iglesias while covering first base Tuesday in Cincinnati.

Indians: RHP Carlos Carrasco will throw bullpen sessions this week to test his bruised elbow. He was struck by a line drive hit by Minnesota’s Joe Mauer on June 16.

UP NEXT

Tigers: RHP Jordan Zimmermann (2-0, 4.95 ERA) takes on Oakland at Comerica Park on Monday in the opener of a four-game series.

Indians: Clevinger (6-2, 3.00 ERA) pitches the series opener in St. Louis on Monday. RHP John Gant (1-2, 4.39 ERA) starts for the Cardinals.