The Tennessee Volunteers are known for their up-tempo, high-powered offense, but that could look a little different in 2024 with new rules coming to college football. Along with the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, changes are coming to the on-field product this fall.
We got an idea of how some new rules proposed by the NCAA Rules Committee would play out during Bowl Season. Teams had the opportunity to opt into testing some new features that are now on the voting block for the NCAA.
Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger reports that we could see coach-to-player helmet communication, tablets on the sidelines, and a 2-minute warning coming to college football.
"After meetings this week, college leaders are expected to finalize on Friday recommendations to adopt the long-expected player-to-coach helmet comms system; use of tablets on sideline/halftime; and a 2-minute warning. "Ross Dellenger
Helmet Communication
Coach-to-player communication through the players' helmets has gained momentum after Michigan's sign-stealing scandal at the beginning of the 2023 football season. It's easier to sniff out what your opponent is running if there are no signals or signs to steal.
It's also the first step towards the NCAA modernizing college football and moving towards the NFL's on-field product. If this passes, it will end an era for one of the greatest parts of college football: weird signals and funny signs. It could also be the end of seeing three or four graduate assistants in different colors on the sidelines, signaling the next play to the players on the field.
About time college football adopted helmet communication, but the absurdity of play cards will be missed. pic.twitter.com/Dh7ExjaLS3
— Wilson Alexander (@whalexander_) March 1, 2024
Why would anyone want to get rid of the chaos that comes from play cards?
End of an Era! https://t.co/VEgxf2V0QK pic.twitter.com/2hKhMlbI8z
— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) March 1, 2024
In Josh Heupel's offense, the graduate assistants signaling in the play is how Tennessee can effectively be the fastest offense in the country. Even if helmet communications pass the NCAA Rules Committee vote, I would not be surprised to see some type of signals still being used by Tennessee to keep their up-tempo offense running smoothly.
Tablets on the Sideline
The next change on the docket is to bring tablets to the sideline. Of the three proposed modifications, this is the one I am fully on board with implementing this fall. Sure, helmet communications will help coaches communicate more efficiently with players on the field, and a two-minute warning will add a natural break for the players, but neither should be a priority for college football.
While tablets on the sideline aren't necessary either, they are a simple way to help teams communicate, make adjustments, and put a better product on the field. If high schools, big and small, can use tablets on the sideline to help their players, college football should be able to use them, too. Honestly, I am surprised it has taken the NCAA this long to consider bringing tablets to college football.
2-Minute Warning
Another way the NCAA is trying to modernize itself into a mini-NFL is by implementing a two-minute warning. As I mentioned previously, this can be a great way to include a natural break for the athletes on the field, especially early in the year when much of the south is facing extreme heat, but I have no doubt in my mind this is just another way to force an extra commercial break into every broadcast.
I would be hesitant to believe any move made by the NCAA benefits the student-athlete or fans. Forced three-minute ad breaks aren't multiple times per quarter are not enough for the NCAA, so we have to add another opportunity for a commercial break.
With these changes on the horizon and a potential, further expanded College Football Playoff, we could see more changes coming soon. After the College Football Playoff announced a new 12-team playoff, there is already a new proposal to expand the playoff to 14 teams.
As we saw with the transfer portal, we will have to see which teams adapt to the proposed new rules. The world of college football is continuing to change, and we are probably far from the last change coming from the NCAA to create a mini-NFL environment on Saturdays.