College Football Teams to Use Coach-to-Player Communication Technology in Non-CFP Bowl Games
In a recent development, college football teams will be allowed to use coach-to-player communication technology in non-College Football Playoff (CFP) bowl games this year. This decision was confirmed by NCAA national coordinator of officials, Steve Shaw, in an interview with The Athletic. While this news comes amidst an ongoing investigation involving Michigan football and sign-stealing/advance scouting, the approval for this bowl experiment was actually granted by the NCAA Football Rules Committee earlier this summer.
The specifics of the trial run during the bowl season are yet to be determined by FBS conference administrators. This includes deciding what kind of technology would be allowed, ranging from in-helmet communication to wristband communication tools. It is likely that both teams would need to agree to use such tools in a bowl game, but whether they would have to use the same technology is still to be determined. Many schools already utilize helmet or wristband technology in practice with their scout teams.
Currently, FBS conference football administrators are in the process of gathering feedback from their coaches on preferences. According to one conference administrator, a call at the administrator level is scheduled for this week to discuss further details. The rules and guidelines for the bowl experiment are still being established, including whether both teams have to participate and if different technologies can be used. The aim is to ensure fairness and equitable comparisons between teams for College Football Playoff ranking purposes.
The bowl experiment is a result of a proposal by the Big Ten rules committee to use coach-to-player communication technology in conference games this year. The Big Ten has been at the forefront of introducing technological advancements in college football since pioneering the use of instant replay technology in 2004. However, the rules committee determined that implementing such communication technology in conference games would have a significant impact on on-field play compared to other conferences that did not use it. This could potentially create issues such as inequitable comparisons between teams for College Football Playoff ranking purposes. Therefore, the bowl experiment will serve as an information-gathering tool to assess the impact and feasibility of coach-to-player communication technology.
The allegations surrounding Michigan football have fueled another push within the Big Ten conference to enact these changes next season. The conference had also proposed the use of tablets on the sideline, but that proposal was not approved by the committee. If the use of communication technology in bowl games receives positive feedback, it could be proposed and approved on a larger scale next year, either on a conference-by-conference or division-by-division basis.
While the NFL has been using helmet communication technology since 1994, college football has been slower to adopt it due to various factors. These include concerns about helmet liability, costs, and resistance from coaches who engage in sign-stealing. The biggest hurdle lies with helmet manufacturers, as any third-party adjustment to helmets could shift liability in a lawsuit over head injuries. The NFL operates under different circumstances with its own helmet contracts and agreements with the players’ union.
In 2021, Grambling and Southern tested CoachComm’s coach-to-player helmet communication system in a game, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. While Shaw and the rules committee remain neutral on specific technologies and companies, one conference administrator believes that wristband technology is more likely to pass on a larger scale due to the liability concerns associated with helmet adjustments.
The introduction of coach-to-player communication technology in college football games aims to eliminate sideline shenanigans related to play calls and sign-stealing. The timing of this development with the ongoing Michigan controversy is purely coincidental. Shaw emphasized that the rules committee has completed its work, and now the conferences will collaborate to establish the rules and guidelines for implementing this technology.
In conclusion, the approval for college football teams to use coach-to-player communication technology in non-CFP bowl games marks a significant step towards modernizing the sport. The upcoming bowl season will serve as a trial run to gather feedback and assess the impact of this technology. If successful, it could pave the way for its widespread adoption in the future, potentially revolutionizing the way coaches communicate with players on the field.