Abuse by technology device

[ElvisLives]

For 2024, teams can have and use technology devices, such as tablets, on the sideline. But, they are not permitted to attempt to show an official anything with such technology device(s). That is a UNS. But, it is quite unclear if this is to be a UNS on the individual(s) or on the team. The obvious difference is that, if it is on the individual(s), it adds to his/her/their counter(s) for possible ejection.

Anybody - ANYBODY - have positive authoritative knowledge of the ruling on this? Like, directly from Shaw? Or from a coordinator that you know has reviewed this with Shaw?

Clinics for organizations playing with NCAA rules start soon, and we simply need to know, positively, what the NCAA will be doing.

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

[JasonTX]

At the Referee clinic last month we were told by Shaw that the guilty party is the one holding the tablet.  An example shown was an assistant coach holding the tablet and the head coach was doing the talking and trying to get the official to look.  Since the assistant was the one holding the tablet, he is the one that gets penalized.

[ElvisLives]

At the Referee clinic last month we were told by Shaw that the guilty party is the one holding the tablet.  An example shown was an assistant coach holding the tablet and the head coach was doing the talking and trying to get the official to look.  Since the assistant was the one holding the tablet, he is the one that gets penalized.

Jason, forgive me for being a pain in the hiney, but, does that very explicitly mean that person trying to show the official something on the device gets the UNS, himself, and it counts toward his ejection counter? Was his language that specific?

Robert

[JasonTX]

Jason, forgive me for being a pain in the hiney, but, does that very explicitly mean that person trying to show the official something on the device gets the UNS, himself, and it counts toward his ejection counter? Was his language that specific?

Robert

Yes.  The counter will go to the coach holding the tablet.  As mentioned in my reply, his example had the assistant holding the tablet and the head coach was pointing at the tablet trying to get the official to look.  It will be the assistant getting the counter since he is the one holding it.

[ElvisLives]

Yes.  The counter will go to the coach holding the tablet.  As mentioned in my reply, his example had the assistant holding the tablet and the head coach was pointing at the tablet trying to get the official to look.  It will be the assistant getting the counter since he is the one holding it.

Jason,
THANK YOU! I will pass this along to some ‘powers that be.’

Robert

[ElvisLives]

So, Coach Ehwhole gets an assistant trainer to hold his tablet for him while he yells at the official to look at the video. The assistant trainer gets the flag, and the UNS on her counter. A little while later, he gets an assistant equipment manager to hold his tablet for him while he, again, tries to get the official to look at video on the tablet. So, the assistant equipment manager gets the flag, and the UNS on his counter. As long as he has an endless supply of lackeys, Coach Ehwhole can continue his role-model behavior. At least until one or more lackeys get escorted off the field after getting their second UNS, and he has to answer to the Commissioner on Monday.
A better rule would be to assign ALL such UNS fouls to the HC. That would put an end to the problem.

I would love to see a coach get mad and slam the tablet to the ground. I wonder how many broken tablets it will take to get a coach fired?

[Legacy Zebra]

If he’s doing that, just flag him for a normal UNS. It’s not like showing us video is the only thing we can flag coaches for. Repeated and continuous abuse of officials is enough grounds to flag a coach, especially when you add in attempting to circumvent this new rule.

[ElvisLives]

If he’s doing that, just flag him for a normal UNS. It’s not like showing us video is the only thing we can flag coaches for. Repeated and continuous abuse of officials is enough grounds to flag a coach, especially when you add in attempting to circumvent this new rule.

 

[ElvisLives]

Well, you can knock me over with a feather. I actually received a reply from Shaw.
The string is below, but the bottom line is that Shaw confirms that a UNS for abuse by technology is an individual UNS, and would add to that individual coach's ejection counter. (Not sure what we are to do if the person holding the device is not a coach.) See below:
---------------------------------------------------

"If it is an identifiable coach, then we would put that UNS on that individual and it would be a counter for UNS.

Steve Shaw
CFO National Coordinator of Football Officials
Secretary-Rules Editor, NCAA Football Rules Committee

-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Cameron <rckcameron@suddenlink.net>
Sent: Thursday, June 6, 2024 3:29 PM
To: sdshaw.cfo@gmail.com
Subject: 2024 NCAA Football Rules Interpretation - abuse of technology

Mr. Shaw,
There is some confusion regarding the penalty for team personnel attempting to show an official something on a technology device during a game. If a foul is ruled, is it a UNS on the “individual” (adding to his/her counter for ejection)? Or, is it a “team” UNS, with only the distance penalty (and first down for Team B fouls), and nothing added to any individual’s UNS counter?

Thank you for your assistance.

Robert Cameron
Training Committee
Texas Association of Sports Officials - Football Division, Lubbock, Texas"

[dammitbobby]

I wonder if a future tweak to this, is no streaming/tech devices in the coach's box, have to be in the player's area. That at least limits the likelihood of this actually occurring.

Just keep it far, far away from me, and we'll be all right, Coach.

[Maineac]

If it becomes a problem, maybe treat it like the illegal jersey rule in future rule iterations. Start deducting timeouts. Bet it stops.

[Etref]

I wonder if a future tweak to this, is no streaming/tech devices in the coach's box, have to be in the player's area. That at least limits the likelihood of this actually occurring.

Just keep it far, far away from me, and we'll be all right, Coach.

Coaches box?

You mean the hash marks

😂

[dammitbobby]

Anywhere behind me! . It would help if it were an automatic foul, where possession is guilt!

[dammitbobby]

1-11-a: Television replay, video and/or monitor equipment is prohibited at the sidelines, press box or other locations within the playing enclosure for coaching purposes during the game or between periods. Photographs (digital or otherwise), computers and other electronic communication devices not expressly permitted by rule are prohibited for coaching purposes during the game or between periods. Computers, tablets, etc. are not allowed in the coaches’ booth.

1-11-a-3 exception 2: Tablets may be used in the coaches’ booth, sideline, and locker room and may not be interconnected to other devices to project larger/additional images.

Kind of a big oops there.