Big 12 completes review of helmet communication, finds no tech was compromised

After it was reported earlier this week that the Big 12 Conference was addressing potential issues with the security of coach-to-player helmet communications, the league found that there were no actual instances of a Big 12 game being compromised, it announced on Thursday according to ESPN’s Max Olson.

The league explained some of its conclusions in a brief statement. The equipment is being returned to schools with an encryption update to provide further security to the comms system.

“Following the industry-wide concerns surrounding helmet communications, the Big 12 conducted a review of conference games and helmet communications processes to address any issues member institutions raised regarding this matter. The review showed that at no point was any Big 12 competition compromised. All Big 12 helmet communications programs now have the encryption update from GSC, and schools may use either CoachComm or GSC for coach-to-player communication at their discretion.”

Earlier this week, the Big 12 asked teams return the equipment to the league as it investigated the matter and beefed up the security measures on the equipment.

According to a report from The Athletic on Wednesday, the Big 12 instructed teams to return their coach-to-helmet communication equipment “so that technological concerns with the product can be addressed before the weekend’s games.”

While the exact nature of the technological shortcoming wasn’t clear, but the report added that there were concerns about security flaws allowing outside parties to listen in or access the live channels during games.

Per the NCAA rules around the newly-adopted technology, coaching staff are allowed to listen on the coach-to-player system, and only one coach can talk to the green dot player on the field with a microphone in their ear. That’s usually the play caller, be it a head coach or coordinator.

The issue was first identified and brought to the attention of the Big 12 and other power conferences following a Sept. 28 game at AT&T Stadium between Arkansas and Texas A&M.

All of the Power 4 football conferences have contracted with the same firm — GSC — for coach-to-player comms.