Optional technology rules in football, effective starting with the 2024 season, were approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Committee on Thursday.
For games involving Football Bowl Subdivision teams, each school has 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. The video can include the 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 may not be connected to other devices to project additional larger images or contain any analysis, data, data access features, or other communications access. All team staff will be allowed to view tablets during matches.
The Soccer Rules Committee meeting held in the last week of February featured an in-depth discussion on wearable technology.
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.
2 minute timeout
The panel approved adding automatic timeouts for the remaining two minutes of the second and fourth quarters.
This rule change synchronizes all timing rules, such as the 10-second runoff and stopping the clock when a first down is earned within a bound that matches the 2-minute timeout.
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 rule changes
- 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. Previously, a horse collar tackle inside the tackle box was not a foul.
Additionally, head coaches will be able to conduct interviews with broadcast partners after the first and third quarters. This was allowed experimentally last season and will be added as a permanent rule.
uniform
The Committee did not support the proposed uniform rules prepared by the Football Rules Committee. Committee members expressed discomfort that field officials would have to enforce the recommended rules.
The panel understands the rules committee's concerns, but encourages the committee to seek administrative solutions that do not involve policing game officials.
