Billy Edwards Jr. became a test pilot of sorts for the type of helmet communication technology that might soon become commonplace in college football.
And the Maryland quarterback was a fan.
“I think overall it was good,” Edwards said after leading the Terrapins to a 31-13 victory against Auburn at the Music City Bowl last Saturday in Nashville.
“On one of my runs down there at the goal line on I think the first or second drive, (offensive coordinator Josh) Gattis is up there, and most times I think I’m thinking the same thing he’s saying, but he was saying they were in like a stick coverage, kind of like a zero look, and he was like, ‘Pull, pull, pull it.’ He just confirmed what I was thinking.”
In the aftermath of the Michigan sign-stealing scandal, the possibility of college teams using NFL-style communication technology has been viewed with a little more urgency. And with bowls outside of the College Football Playoff sometimes looking more like 2024 exhibition games than 2023 postseason games, teams took advantage of the opportunity to try out various devices.