College football helmet communication has occurred on unencrypted frequencies: Report

Among a slew of sweeping changes that have come to college football this season was direct coach-to-player communication.

What was widely praised as a long overdue reform has come with at least one technological concern.

The in-helmet technology that allows one player on the field to communicate with coaches — which helps relay play calls in a timely manner — has been occurring on unencrypted frequencies, according to multiple reports.

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The development raises questions about whether discussions between coach and player that contain sensitive information from a competitive balance standpoint could have been compromised at some point two months into the 2024 season.

The Athletic reported Wednesday that the Big 12 has instructed teams to return their coach-to-player helmet communication equipment so those snafus can be addressed by GSC, the company that has provided the equipment to all 68 Power Four conference programs for this season. The report added that a problem with the first-year technology was discovered during a September 28 game between Arkansas and Texas A&M at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The Big 12 is reportedly not investigating any accusations of cheating related to the helmet software issues.

“We’ve got to have a game whose integrity is not questionable in any way on a Saturday afternoon,” Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt said to ESPN. “We owe it to the 120 young men on our football team to ensure that happens, that it’s a game of fair competition and the same set of rules are enforced.”

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In April, the NCAA football rules committee passed a measure allowing a speaker in the…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/college-football-helmet-communication-occurred-235220469.html

Author : USA TODAY Sports

Publish date : 2024-10-30 23:52:20

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