Translation of 12 rule changes ahead of the 2024 Florida Football season

The 2024 Florida Football season is upon us and as is th case most seasons, the NCAA has some new rules they are trotting out.

The way some of these rules are written are highly technical and can be hard to follow, so we here at Hail Florida Hail have laid out the 12 new rules for 2024 along with their one sentence translation for the average fan to understand.

Coach-to-Player Communications (Rule 1-4-11-b, Exception)

Coach to player communications through the helmet is permissive in 2024 for the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) based on the following guidelines:

• Only one player may be on the field per team at a time with radio receiving capability and the player must be identified by an unbranded green dot on the back midline of the helmet.
• Coach-to-player communications will be cut off when the play clock reaches 15 seconds or at the snap, whichever comes first. When the play clock resets to 25/40, the communications will be turned back on.
• If more than one green dot helmet is detected on the field by the game officials, the result is a live ball 5-yard equipment violation penalty, and this penalty initiates a conference review.
• On free kick plays, the coach-to-player communications will not be in effect. There is no limitation to the number of green dot helmets for either team during free kick plays.
• A conference may develop a policy to provide guidance in handling situations dealing with communications failure.
• Back Judge mechanics will be developed dealing with an in stadium play clock failure and Rule 3-2-2-f, starting of the play clock when the game clock is less than 40/25 will be modified.
• FCS teams playing an FBS team may utilize coach-to-player communications in that game.

Translation: Coaches can communicate with players through helmets in FBS games, but only one player per team can have a receiving device.

Tablets for In-Game Video (Rule 1-4-11-a, Exception 3)

Standard Tablets for in-game video only is permissive in 2024 for all football playing subdivisions and are subject to the following guidelines: 

• Tablets shall be restricted to "in-game video" (current game) and may not include analytics, data or data-access capability or any other communications access. No other video is allowed (e.g., scouting video, practice video, etc.).
• Tablets may be used in the coach's box, sideline, and locker room and may not be interconnected to other devices to project larger/additional images.
• Video may include coach's sideline, coach's endzone, and a program feed per play from the current game only and may also display "game circumstances," including down / distance / time / quarter / play-number / score.
• A team may have up to 18 standard tablets active, and all team personnel may view the tablets.
• If any team personnel engages an official with a tablet to show or review video, an automatic Unsportsmanlike Conduct foul will result.

Translation: Coaches can use standard tablets for in-game video in all divisions. Tablets are limited to current game video and cannot be used for analytics or other communications.

Wearable Technologies

The committee had a thorough discussion of wearable technologies. The committee received and approved three DIII requests for wearable Technologies. The conferences receiving approval to experiment with wearable technologies are:

• Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) - Armilla Tech
• Liberty League - GoRoute
• Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) – AT&T 5G Visual Helmet for Gallaudet University

Translation: The committee approved three DIII requests for wearable technologies.

Two-Minute Timeout (Rule 3-3-5)
When the game clock is running and the ball is not live, the Referee shall stop the clock with exactly two minutes remaining in the second and fourth quarters for a Two-Minute Timeout.  If the ball is live when the game clock reaches two minutes in the second and fourth quarters, the play will continue, and the Referee shall stop the clock when the ball is subsequently declared dead for a Two Minute Timeout.

The radio / TV broadcast partner will hold back at least one media timeout to coincide with the Two-Minute Timeout. If there is no media timeout partner in the game, the timeout shall be one minute plus the five-second referee notification and the 25-second play clock interval.

This change will synchronize all in-game timing rule changes to be effective following the Two-Minute Timeout, including the first down timing rules, runs, fumbles, and backward passes out of bounds, Rule 3-4-3-b penalty enforcement, replay clock adjustment, and all 10-Second Runoff situations.

The play clock will be set at 25 seconds and the clock will start on the snap.

Translation: There is now a two-minute warning just like the NFL

First Down Timing Rules (Rule 3-3-2-e-1)

After a year of review, Division III Committee members decided to adopt the timing rules where the game clock will continue to run when a first down is gained in bounds. The game clock will be stopped subsequent to the Two-Minute Timeout in each half. Divisions I and II institutions utilized this timing rule last season.

Translation: In Division III games the clock won't stop for a first down to match the rule in Division I and Division II

Collaborative Replay (Rule 12-4-3)

Conferences are now allowed the option of implementing a Collaborative Instant Replay review system. Currently, this is an experimental rule.

A collaborative decision-making model during instant replay reviews, which is in full compliance with Rule 12 and follows the Collaborative Replay Officiating Standards, is not limited to the press box of a stadium (Part II Officiating Standards, Section 16).

Translation: Conferences can implement an off site replay center rather than one guy in a pr

Horse-Collar Tackle (Rule 9-1-15)

For player safety, Horse-collar tackles that occur within the tackle box will be penalized as a 15-yard personal foul penalty. Currently, a horse-collar tackle within the tackle box is not a foul.

Translation: All horse-collar tackles are a penalty

Replay – Halftime Intermission (Rule 3-2-1-b)

At the end of the first half, after the teams have left the field and the Referee has cleared the final play with the on-field crew and the instant replay official, and there is no coach challenge, the Referee will declare the half ended.

After the Referee has declared the first half ended, there can be no additional replay reviews from the previous play (Exception: For games in which Instant Replay is not used, a halftime Targeting video review as outlined in the Penalty section of Rule 9-1-3 & 9-1-4 may be completed).

Translation: There can be no additional replay reviews after the referee declares the first half ended, except for targeting reviews in games without instant replay.

Players Numbering – (Rule 1-4-2-d)

Currently, if a player enters the game after changing their jersey number during the game, the player must report to the Referee. For clarity, if a player enters the game with a number different than is on the game day roster, that player must report to the Referee. A player who enters the game after changing their number or with a different number than is on the game day roster and does not report commits a foul for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Translation: Players must report to the referee if they enter the game with a different number than on the game day roster.

Prohibited Field Equipment – (Rule 1-4-11)

Editorial changes to a broad number of issues were made within Rule 1-4-11.

(* indicates experimental rule from the previous season) 

• *Only head coaches may be interviewed in the intermission between the first and second periods, during the halftime intermission and during the intermission between the third and fourth periods. The head coach interviews between the first and second periods and the third and fourth periods may not occur during live action and must occur during a regularly scheduled broadcast timeout. The broadcast timeout may not be extended to accommodate the interview.  The location of the interview shall be just outside the team area.
• *After a change of possession or timeout, one camera is permitted from the television broadcast onto the playing enclosure for the purpose of capturing team personnel entering the field of play. The broadcast camera is not permitted to enter the team area or team huddle and must exit the field of play when players enter the huddle or line up in a formation. The broadcast camera is restricted to the area outside the hash marks.
• *Following a Touchdown, one camera is permitted from the television broadcast into the end zone for the purpose of capturing team personnel reaction.  The camera must immediately exit the end zone and field of play when the ball is ready for play for the Try Down.
• Institutional videographers may be in the team area as a part of that institution's 50 credentialed individuals. This video may not be used during any live broadcast or digital stream of the game.  (Previous rule limited the number of Institutional Videographers to one.)
• Institutional ball personnel are prohibited from wearing smart watches or any communications technology while on the opponent's sideline. 

Translation: Prohibited field equipment rules were updated, including restrictions on coach interviews, camera access, and institutional videographer and ball personnel behavior.

Penalty Enforcement after Replay Review – (Rule 12-3-6-i & j)

Rules language added that codifies penalty enforcement after replay reviews.  Fouls that carry 5-yard and 10-yard penalties are not enforced if the ruling is overturned, and they become dead ball fouls. Personal fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct fouls are always enforced, regardless of the outcome of a replay review.

Translation: Replay rules were clarified regarding dead ball and loose ball situations and penalty enforcement after replay reviews.