Part of the major rule changes coming to college football this upcoming 2024 season is the implementation of in-helmet communication between players and coaches during games. Long overdue in college football, coach-to-player communication inside the helmet should further strengthen offensive teams who bread and butter is through pre-snap reading an adjustments.
Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin has often referred to the in-helmet communication this offseason as a “cheat code” for the Rebels up-tempo offense, but because both teams have the technology.
“Most of the time, it would be a quarterback or middle linebacker for most,” Kiffin said last week, via Inside The Rebels. “Whoever that player is, it truly is like a cheat code. When you’re getting talked to or reminded of everything: run, pass, gaps, splits, alignments, what to check to. It’s a game-changer, but I don’t know that you’re going to notice as much because I don’t know that it’s not kind of neutralized.”
Florida coach Billy Napier said it benefits the defensive signal callers, too. Typically, there is still quite a bit of time left on the play clock by the time the call comes in for either side. The in-helmet communication gives coaches an ability to talk directly to the player with the device, potentially alerting run or pass, setting protection or defensive fronts, etc., before it shuts off at the 15-second mark.