Quarterback Nico Iamaleava will be able to hear Tennessee Football coaches talk to him through an earpiece this season.
Coach Josh Heupel has developed UT’s offense, and offensive coordinator Joey Halzle helps operate it. They share play calling duties.
So this raises an obvious question: which coach will speak to Iamaleava?
“Offensively, Joey (Halzle) and I,” Heupel said after UT’s first preseason practice on Wednesday.
That way, both coaches will have a turn giving Iamaleava instructions, and Heupel said that shouldn’t be an issue.
“(I) don’t believe it (then). In fact, we still haven’t had the real game day defined,” said Heupel. “But we should have it fully operational when we go there (to Neyland Stadium) for (intra-squad) friendly games.
Heupel said defensive coordinator Tim Banks will be the only speaker from middle linebacker Keenan Pili.
Will the helmet radio slow down or speed up the Tennessee offense?
One-way communication devices will be implemented in college football this season after being a staple in the NFL for several years.
A player on each side of the ball may have a radio in their helmet and will be identified by a green dot on their helmet.
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A coach can talk to the player, but the player can only listen. Communication will end with 15 seconds remaining on the playback clock.
But UT features the fastest offense in college football. It relies on players receiving hand signals from the sideline and executing plays quickly before the defense can adjust.
Therefore, the Vols may not utilize the communication device as much as other teams as it can slow down the pace.
One possibility is that players could still receive the play call via hand signals, but Iamaleava could receive a quick instruction from Heupel or Halzle just before the ball is snapped – which usually occurs before the 15-second timeout on the offense. UT.
For now, the Vols are experimenting with the communications devices to determine whether they help or hinder the rhythm and execution of their offense.
“Quarterbacks get tired of hearing us on headphones,” Heupel said. “But it is unique. You have to plan for it. You have to be prepared in case it ends. Sometimes problems occur with headphones. You also need to plan this in advance.
“So it’s an opportunity, it’s a tool to be used. We’re trying to be intentional about how we do that on both sides of the ball, and at the same time, you have to be ready to operate without it.”
But first, UT must decide which coach, or coaches, should speak to Iamaleava in those precious seconds before the snap. This is a work in progress.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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This article originally appeared in the Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee offense Nico Iamaleava can go faster with helmet radio
