Rules changes to know about for OU fans and rest of college football for 2024
By Chip Rouse
There are a lot of changes this season in college football, and the Oklahoma football program is a pick part of that change, leaving its longtime affiliation and evolution with the Big 12 to join football aristocracy in the SEC.
Changes abound in college football for the 2024 season, including major conference realignment involving all five Power conferences as well as the expansion of the College Football Playoff from four to 12 teams
What was once five power conferences is now four with four former Pac-12 teams moving to the Big Ten and four other Pac-12 teams becoming part of the Big 12. And, of course, there is the move by Oklahoma and Texas from the Big 12 to the SEC.
And this doesn't even take into account the Wild Wild West free-agency market that is the transfer portal or the money windfall created by name, image, likeness.
Perhaps the biggest rule change for the 2024 season is coach-to-player communications permitted through technology in the player's helmet. Only one player per team can be on the field at a time will be allowed to have radio-receiving capability, and that player must be identified by a green dot on the helmet. Coach-to-player communication will be cut off when the play clock reaches 15 seconds or at the snap.
Another big change this season is the addition of a two-minute time out with two minutes or less remaining at the end of each half. The NF.L has had this rule for years, but this is a first at the college level.
Tablets will be permissable on the sidelines this season for in-game video only. Video is restricted to the current game and may not include analytics data, data-access capability of any other communications access.
A significant rule change from a year ago will remain in the 2024 season and for the foreseeable future. The game clock will continue to run after first downs except for when the chains move inside the final two minutes of both halves.
While the NFL is incorporating a new kickoff rule to try to cut down on serious injuries, the college game will continue with the tradition kickoff procedure.