College football has some new rules for the 2024 season, including the implementation of a two-minute timeout before the end of each half. Some of the new rules include the use of technology, such as teams using tablets on the sidelines and helmet radios that allow coaches to communicate with players.
If you've ever wondered what radio sounds like for a quarterback or other player; FOX Sports has you covered. During Saturday's telecast of the Nebraska vs. UTEP game, the station shared an exchange on the radio between UTEP head coach and offensive play-caller Scotty Walden and quarterback Skylar Locklear.
There are a couple of things to note about this. First, there's the crowd noise factor. As someone who has attended games in Lincoln, I can personally attest that the crowd plays a big role. And even with his helmet radio, it's understandable that Locklear might have a hard time hearing everything the coaches are saying, as analyst Brock Hurd noted in the booth:
Another notable feature is that the rules state that helmet radios are turned off at the time of the snap or when 15 seconds remain on the play clock, whichever comes first.
On the play in question, Walden can help explain to Locklear what he's seeing from the defense. UTEP has a package play, an inside running play that incorporates a swinging screen to the receiver on the move. Walden reminds the quarterback to “watch the rotation” and see how the defense reacts to the receiver on the move.
As the defense rotates, Walden can be heard yelling instructions through his helmet at the last moment to give up the swinging screen and pass inside. Because the snap comes well before the 15 seconds, Walden is able to yell instructions to the quarterback right up until the snap.
Nebraska's defense stopped the inside run, but that play, and the subsequent attempted play-call that can be heard before the next snap, offer a nice glimpse into how the new helmet communication system will work in college football this season.
