The NCAA Football Rules Committee has proposed optional technology rules that will go into effect starting with the 2024 competitive season.
All rules recommendations must be approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel, which is scheduled to discuss the football proposals on April 18.
For games involving Football Bowl Subdivision teams, each school will have the option of using coach-player communication via helmet with one player on the field. That player is identified by a green dot on the back midline of the player's helmet.
Coach-to-player communications are turned off with 15 seconds left on the play clock or when the ball is snapped, whichever comes first.
In all three divisions, teams have the option to use tablets to watch in-game video only. This video may include broadcast his feed and camera angles from the coach's sideline and the coach's end his zone.
Teams can have up to 18 active tablets for use in the coaching booth, sideline and locker room. The tablet could not be connected to other devices to project larger additional images, nor could it include analysis, data, data access capabilities, or other communications access. All team personnel will be allowed to view tablets during games.
Wearable technology was also thoroughly discussed among the committee members.
The committee invites non-FBS conferences interested in using wearable technology to submit experimental proposals to the committee. Any proposals must be submitted to the committee by June 15th.
“The use of technology has been on the committee's agenda for several years, and we are committed to implementing technology in NCAA football,” said AJ Edds, co-chair of the committee and vice president of football administration for the Big Ten Conference. The right time has come.” “The FBS Conference has worked together to ensure consistent application and to work out the details of the technical requirements for implementation.”
2 minute timeout
The committee proposed adding automatic timeouts when there are two minutes remaining in the second and fourth quarters.
This recommendation synchronizes all timing rules, such as a 10-second runoff and stopping the clock when a first down is earned within limits to match the 2-minute timeout.
“The two-minute timeout simplifies and allows all end-of-half and end-of-game timing rules to be synchronized with this timeout,” said Secretary Rules Editor Steve Shaw. “This also helps broadcast partners avoid consecutive media timeouts.”
uniform
In recent years, the committee has expressed concerns about the appearance of players' uniforms, particularly their pants. The committee is proposing strengthening the enforcement system for obvious violations of rules. For the first violation, a flag will be thrown warning for illegal equipment, and the offending player will be required to leave the game for at least one play and may return once the problem is corrected.
Any subsequent uniform violation by a member of that team will result in a team being given a time-out. If a team misses the timeout, a 5-yard delay-of-game penalty will be assessed.
First down timing rules
After a year of consideration, Division III committee members decided to adopt a timing rule that keeps the game clock running when a first down is earned in bounds. A first down earned in the final two minutes of either half will stop the game clock. Division I and II schools used this timing rule last season.
Other proposed rules
- Allows the option to use a collaborative playback review system for meetings. This will be officially added to the rulebook. It was an experimental rule.
- A horse collar tackle made inside the tackle box will be penalized as a 15-yard personal foul. Currently, a horse collar tackle in the tackle box is not a foul.
Permanently allow head coaches to conduct interviews with broadcast partners after the first and third quarters. This was allowed on an experimental basis last season.
