Load ESPN college football play participants from the SportsDataverse data repo — load_espn_cfb_play

Loads season-level per-play participants – one row per play- participant with role type and ESPN athlete id, the join partner for play-level attribution. Published to the espn_cfb_play_participants release tag on the sportsdataverse- data repo.

Usage

load_espn_cfb_play_participants(
  seasons = most_recent_cfb_season(),
  ...,
  dbConnection = NULL,
  tablename = NULL
)

Arguments

seasons: A vector of 4-digit years associated with given college football seasons. Published coverage runs 2014 through the most recent season. Pass seasons = TRUE for every published season. (Min: 2014)
...: Additional arguments passed to an underlying function that writes the season data into a database.
dbConnection: A DBIConnection object, as returned by DBI::dbConnect()
tablename: The name of the data table within the database

Value

Returns a cfbfastR_data tibble.

col_name	types	description
game_id	integer
play_id	integer
kicker_player_name	character	Display name of the kicker – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
tackler_player_name	character	Display name of a defender credited with the tackle – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
returner_player_name	character	Display name of the player returning the kick or punt – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
rusher_player_name	character	Display name of the ball carrier on a rush – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
passer_player_name	character	Display name of the passer – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
receiver_player_name	character	Display name of the targeted receiver – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
punter_player_name	character	Display name of the punter – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
assisted_by_player_name	character	Display name of a defender credited with an assisted tackle – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
penalized_player_name	character	Display name of the penalized player – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
scorer_player_name	character	Display name of the player credited with the score – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
pat_scorer_player_name	character	Display name of the player credited with the point-after score – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
sacked_by_player_name	character	Display name of a defender credited with the sack – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
kicker_player_id	character	ESPN athlete id of the kicker – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
tackler_player_id	character	ESPN athlete id of a defender credited with the tackle – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
returner_player_id	character	ESPN athlete id of the player returning the kick or punt – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
rusher_player_id	character	ESPN athlete id of the ball carrier on a rush – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
passer_player_id	character	ESPN athlete id of the passer – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
receiver_player_id	character	ESPN athlete id of the targeted receiver – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
punter_player_id	character	ESPN athlete id of the punter – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
assisted_by_player_id	character	ESPN athlete id of a defender credited with an assisted tackle – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
penalized_player_id	character	ESPN athlete id of the penalized player – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
scorer_player_id	character	ESPN athlete id of the player credited with the score – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
pat_scorer_player_id	character	ESPN athlete id of the player credited with the point-after score – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
sacked_by_player_id	character	ESPN athlete id of a defender credited with the sack – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
kicker_player_names	character	List of the display names of EVERY participant credited as the kicker on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
tackler_player_names	character	List of the display names of EVERY participant credited as a defender credited with the tackle on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
returner_player_names	character	List of the display names of EVERY participant credited as the player returning the kick or punt on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
rusher_player_names	character	List of the display names of EVERY participant credited as the ball carrier on a rush on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
passer_player_names	character	List of the display names of EVERY participant credited as the passer on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
receiver_player_names	character	List of the display names of EVERY participant credited as the targeted receiver on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
punter_player_names	character	List of the display names of EVERY participant credited as the punter on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
assisted_by_player_names	character	List of the display names of EVERY participant credited as a defender credited with an assisted tackle on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
penalized_player_names	character	List of the display names of EVERY participant credited as the penalized player on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
scorer_player_names	character	List of the display names of EVERY participant credited as the player credited with the score on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
pat_scorer_player_names	character	List of the display names of EVERY participant credited as the player credited with the point-after score on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
sacked_by_player_names	character	List of the display names of EVERY participant credited as a defender credited with the sack on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
kicker_player_ids	character	List of the athlete ids of EVERY participant credited as the kicker on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
tackler_player_ids	character	List of the athlete ids of EVERY participant credited as a defender credited with the tackle on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
returner_player_ids	character	List of the athlete ids of EVERY participant credited as the player returning the kick or punt on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
rusher_player_ids	character	List of the athlete ids of EVERY participant credited as the ball carrier on a rush on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
passer_player_ids	character	List of the athlete ids of EVERY participant credited as the passer on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
receiver_player_ids	character	List of the athlete ids of EVERY participant credited as the targeted receiver on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
punter_player_ids	character	List of the athlete ids of EVERY participant credited as the punter on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
assisted_by_player_ids	character	List of the athlete ids of EVERY participant credited as a defender credited with an assisted tackle on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
penalized_player_ids	character	List of the athlete ids of EVERY participant credited as the penalized player on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
scorer_player_ids	character	List of the athlete ids of EVERY participant credited as the player credited with the score on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
pat_scorer_player_ids	character	List of the athlete ids of EVERY participant credited as the player credited with the point-after score on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
sacked_by_player_ids	character	List of the athlete ids of EVERY participant credited as a defender credited with the sack on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
season	integer
week	integer
pass_defender_player_name	character	Display name of the defender credited with defending the pass – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
pass_defender_player_id	character	ESPN athlete id of the defender credited with defending the pass – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
pass_defender_player_names	character	List of the display names of EVERY participant credited as the defender credited with defending the pass on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
pass_defender_player_ids	character	List of the athlete ids of EVERY participant credited as the defender credited with defending the pass on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
recoverer_player_name	character	Display name of the player who recovered the fumble – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
fumbler_player_name	character
recoverer_player_id	character	ESPN athlete id of the player who recovered the fumble – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
fumbler_player_id	character
recoverer_player_names	character	List of the display names of EVERY participant credited as the player who recovered the fumble on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
fumbler_player_names	character
recoverer_player_ids	character	List of the athlete ids of EVERY participant credited as the player who recovered the fumble on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
fumbler_player_ids	character
forced_by_player_name	character	Display name of the defender who forced the fumble – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
forced_by_player_id	character	ESPN athlete id of the defender who forced the fumble – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
forced_by_player_names	character	List of the display names of EVERY participant credited as the defender who forced the fumble on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
forced_by_player_ids	character	List of the athlete ids of EVERY participant credited as the defender who forced the fumble on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
pat_passer_player_name	character	Display name of the passer on the point-after attempt – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
pat_passer_player_id	character	ESPN athlete id of the passer on the point-after attempt – the FIRST participant in that role on the play.
pat_passer_player_names	character	List of the display names of EVERY participant credited as the passer on the point-after attempt on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.
pat_passer_player_ids	character	List of the athlete ids of EVERY participant credited as the passer on the point-after attempt on the play, so multi-entry roles such as split sacks or gang tackles are not collapsed to one.

Author

Saiem Gilani

Examples

# \donttest{
  try(load_espn_cfb_play_participants(2014))
#> ── ESPN college football play participants from the SportsDataverse data repo ──
#> ℹ Data updated: 2026-09-10 05:50:05 UTC
#> # A tibble: 148,402 × 68
#>      game_id play_id kicker_player_name returner_player_name passer_player_name
#>        <int>   <dbl> <chr>              <chr>                <chr>             
#>  1 400548403 4.01e17 Wil Lutz           De'Andre Brown       NA                
#>  2 400548403 4.01e17 NA                 NA                   Parker McKenzie   
#>  3 400548403 4.01e17 NA                 NA                   NA                
#>  4 400548403 4.01e17 NA                 NA                   NA                
#>  5 400548403 4.01e17 NA                 NA                   Parker McKenzie   
#>  6 400548403 4.01e17 NA                 NA                   Parker McKenzie   
#>  7 400548403 4.01e17 NA                 NA                   NA                
#>  8 400548403 4.01e17 NA                 NA                   Parker McKenzie   
#>  9 400548403 4.01e17 NA                 NA                   Parker McKenzie   
#> 10 400548403 4.01e17 NA                 NA                   Parker McKenzie   
#> # ℹ 148,392 more rows
#> # ℹ 63 more variables: receiver_player_name <chr>, rusher_player_name <chr>,
#> #   penalized_player_name <chr>, scorer_player_name <chr>,
#> #   pass_defender_player_name <chr>, punter_player_name <chr>,
#> #   pat_scorer_player_name <chr>, sacked_by_player_name <chr>,
#> #   kicker_player_id <chr>, returner_player_id <chr>, passer_player_id <chr>,
#> #   receiver_player_id <chr>, rusher_player_id <chr>, …
# }