DURHAM, N.C. -- As the Duke football team heads back to the gridiron in preparation for the 2012 campaign, players and coaches have a new learning tool at their fingertips. The program is one of the first in the country to embrace digital playbooks, which have been downloaded onto individual iPads.

Now that the Blue Devils have gone paperless, joining a handful of other collegiate and professional football teams, head coach David Cutcliffe believes the team's preparation for the 2012 season will become more efficient and effective.

"We have partnered with Apple and Global Apptitude out of Baltimore to do this, and we're very excited about what a gauge that can be for us," head coach David Cutcliffe says. "We're obviously on the cutting edge of it, which we should be -- we're Duke."

Each iPad comes loaded with the team's playbook, as well as practice schedules and weekly itineraries. The features also include downloadable video content that demonstrates schematics and allows players and coaches to review film of their own workouts, as well as tape on opposing squads. Cutcliffe says he has already used his iPad to study up on the Blue Devils' first opponent, FIU, which heads to Wallace Wade Stadium for the season opener on Sept. 1.

Eight NFL teams have partnered with Global Apptitude including the Baltimore Ravens, St. Louis Rams, Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, Carolina Panthers and Indianapolis Colts.

"It's a great toy," Cutcliffe said. "I can't sleep. I stayed up last night and just kept playing with my iPad until I got threatened by [wife] Karen and decided to call it quits."

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