Nebraska-UTEP broadcast from FOX Sports provides great example of a new CFB rule

Thanks to FOX Sports’ broadcast of Nebraska-UTEP we have a great look at the helmet communication system in college football this season

College football has several 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 involve the use of technology, including teams being allowed to use a tablet on the sideline as well as a helmet radio to allow for coach-to-player communication.

If you ever wondered what that radio sounds like for a player, such as a quarterback, FOX Sports has you covered. During Saturday’s telecast of the Nebraska-UTEP game, the broadcast shared radio of the communication between UTEP head coach and offensive play-caller Scotty Walden and quarterback Skyler Locklear:

A few things are notable about this. First, is the crowd noise factor. As someone who has been to a game in Lincoln I can personally attest to the crowd playing a huge role, and even with the helmet radio you can understand how Locklear might struggle to hear everything his coach is saying, as analyst Brock Huard mentions up in the booth.

The other notable feature? Under the rules, the helmet radio will be cut off either at the snap or when 15 seconds remain on the play clock, whichever happens first.

On the play in question, Walden is able to help walk Locklear through what he is seeing from the defense. UTEP has a packaged play called, an inside running play paired with a potential swing screen to the receiver coming in motion. Walden reminds his quarterback to “watch the rotation,” instructing him to see how the defense responds to the receiver coming in motion.

As the defense rotates, you can hear Walden yelling through the helmet last-second instructions to forgo the potential swing screen and hand off inside. With the snap coming well ahead of that 15-second mark, Walden is able to shout instructions to his quarterback right up to the snap.

Nebraska’s defense stuffs the inside run, but the play — and subsequent attempted play-call that you can hear prior to the next snap — offers a tremendous look at how the new helmet communication system will work this college football season.