College football is a constantly evolving environment. NIL, the transfer portal, and conference realignment have been at the forefront of the conversation for the last several years. On the field, the game is changing too.
On Friday, the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved the use of helmet communication and tablets on the sideline. Additionally, starting in 2024, there will be a two-minute warning added to the end of each half.
The addition of helmet communication comes after a trial run during bowl season that seemed to go off without a hitch.
According to The Athletic’s Chris Vannini, one player on the field can use the helmet technology. The player will be identified with a green dot on the helmet, the same designation used by the NFL.
Teams will have until the 15-second mark on the play clock or the snap of the ball to use helmet communication, whichever comes first. For a team like Oklahoma that wants to go fast, this may not impact them much. But there will be critical downs that Seth Littrell and Jackson Arnold will take more time. Though teams use an elaborate display of hand signals and billboards to relay the play or any adjustments, this new communication model will allow the offensive coordinator to speak directly to the quarterback. Defensively, Zac Alley will have a voice in Danny Stutsman’s ear, which should only benefit the Sooners defense.
Last year, the NCAA made a change that kept the clock running in the final two minutes of each half. The two-minute warning rule at the end of each half provides a little more gamesmanship at the end of games, allowing defensive teams to use their timeouts in an attempt to get the ball back.
College football as we knew it is long gone. Coming are Saturdays that feel more like Sundays as networks and conferences work to get games played in tighter television windows.
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