It's time to put radios in college football helmets

The Michigan sign-stealing scandal is the biggest story in college football. The depth of Connor Stalions’ scheme to watch opponents from the sidelines of stadiums across the country has opened eyes around the sport. Sign-stealing isn’t new — that’s why tarps are held up to shield wandering eyes from the pressbox when plays are signaled in — but few thought anyone went to these great lengths to know what play the opponent is running.

How much of an advantage does it provide? What should the NCAA do to Michigan? There’s great debate around those questions, but there’s one simple solution to this new problem in college football. Follow the NFL’s lead.

The National Football League first allowed teams to implement two-way radios into helmets in 1994, almost 30 years ago. One player on offense and defense is equipped to hear play-calls from the coach. Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops would love to see the practice used across college football.

“I’d be all for it. Not sure the reason why we don’t have it to this point,” the Kentucky head coach said during Wednesday’s SEC Coaches Teleconference.

“I know we’ve talked about it the SEC meetings for several years I think. I don’t want to speak for everybody, but if I’m not mistaken, it pretty much was unanimous that we all were in favor of that. I’d like to see it happen, so hopefully we can work towards that.”

The cost of using radios in helmets across all of levels of college football appears to be the holdup for universal approval, even though conferences are raking in piles of cash every year from annual TV contracts.

Liam Coen‘s offensive staff checks the TV tape to see what signals might have made it onto the broadcast. They then alter the signals to avoid showing their hand to opponents. After spending most of his career in the NFL, he would love to see radio technology implemented into college football play-calling.

“I would love that. I’m not sure the quarterback would, but I would love that,” he laughed. “I think at some point, the hashes, a lot of these things, we got to get on the same page and do things the same. It makes too much sense.”

This sign-stealing saga may be the beginning of the end for Jim Harbaugh at Michigan, but it also might serve a greater good by forcing much-needed change in college football.

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