The NCAA recently gave the green light for helmets with coach-to-player communication systems starting in the 2024 CFB season. This new tech will let coaches communicate directly with the quarterback and a chosen defensive player, putting an end to sign-stealing worries. Coach Deion Sanders isn’t wasting any time, already putting the system through its paces in practice.
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A video on the “Thee Pregame Show Network” YouTube channel, which gives the fans an insider peek into Coach Prime’s work, showed him breaking down the rules and his game plan. He’s all about finding smart players who can lead the team with the calls they receive, especially on defense. He said,
“Now, you got to have a smart guy that he (coach) can communicate with…Because he has to communicate with the rest of the team as well as receive signals from the sidelines to commit what we want done, on the field. So, it’s a lot going on.”
On defense, Deion Sanders is eyeing the linebacker for the mic’d-up helmet. He sees the linebacker as the player in the thick of things. However, he’s not putting all his eggs in one basket, he’s prepping the safety too, just in case the linebacker struggles to juggle pass coverage and relay calls from the sideline. He added,
“It’s crazy in college football now. We may have to send the safety off the field and give him another helmet so he can make the calls because the guy coming in (to replace the linebacker) might not be up to snuff for making calls and communicating with everyone.”
For the offense, it’s pretty straightforward. The quarterback gets the talking helmet, and it’s all about keeping focused on the game while listening to the coach and running the offense – skills every QB needs before hitting the pros.
As always, Deion Sanders is getting his team ready to tackle whatever comes their way, aiming to bounce back stronger this coming season. However, Sanders is not the only one who thinks this tech can be majorly helpful for college players.
Coach Nick Saban Was Vocal About NCAA Using Speakers In Players’ Helmets
The legendary former Alabama head coach, Nick Saban, also had a straightforward solution for college football’s sign-stealing drama. It was to borrow a page from the NFL’s playbook. Back when the Michigan sign-stealing scandal was making headlines, Saban shared his thoughts with Pat McAfee on his October 2023 show.
While he sidestepped the Michigan situation, Saban pointed out how the NFL nipped this problem in the bud back in the late ’80s and ’90s with helmet speakers.
“I think we’d solve a lot of those problems if we did the same thing in college football,” Coach Saban said. “There’s no reason not to do that. There’s no reason you can’t just tell the quarterback what the play is rather than having signs and signals and three people signaling and all this stuff to try to get the play. Which is more difficult for the players, incidentally, because they all gotta get the sign because everyone’s going no-huddle.”
“I don’t know enough about the Michigan investigation to really comment on the situation..
We would solve a lot of problems in College Football if we had a microphone in the helmet and there’s no reason why we can’t do that”
Coach Saban #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/yeV6ntDYj1
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 26, 2023
Well, looks like the NCAA was listening. With their recent adoption of this measure, next season should see teams communicating without all the smoke and mirrors.
The system will go quiet when the play clock hits 15 seconds or when the ball is snapped. As a bonus, teams can now use up to 18 tablets to break down plays on the sidelines, in the coaching booth, and in the locker room.
