Get to know these important new rules for college football in 2024

This week, Arkansas and the rest of the SEC have descended upon Dallas, Texas for SEC Media Days. Sam Pittman won't be speaking until Thursday, though, meaning that Razorback fans have some time to kill until their head coach takes center stage.

So while we wait to hear from Pittman, let's focus on something that not many fans are talking about, the rules of the game. That's because there are some massive changes being put in place this fall.

Each year, the college football rules are tweaked. That's no different in 2024. In fact, some of the new rules will transform the game we love, likely forever. So here's a look at what will be different once kickoff arrives next month.

In-helmet speakers are now allowed

For years, college football teams have had to go to great lengths to disguise the signals that the coaching staff sends in from the sidelines. Almost every program uses decoy signals from a graduate assistant or assistant coach while many programs use coded boards that the players can see. Other programs have even gone so far as to put up collapsable partitions that block the opposing coaches in the press box from seeing what is being signaled from the sidelines.

All of those tactics are now pointless because in-game communication is now possible thanks to the implementation of speakers in the helmet. Each team will be able to have one player on the field with a speaker in his helmet that is connected to a member of the coaching staff. That player will be identified by having a green dot on the back of his helmet.

The one-way communication will cut off when the play clock hits 15 seconds or when the ball is snapped, whichever comes first. This rule was actually tested in some bowl games last fall.

Tablets can now be used on the sidelines

Another implementation of new technology means that teams have the option of using tablets to view in-game video. They won't be able to look at videos from previous games or practice, though. The video can include the broadcast feed and camera angles from the coach's sideline and coach's end zone.

Teams will be limited to a total of 18 tablets in the coaching booth, sideline, and locker room combined. Tablets cannot be connected to other devices to project larger additional images and cannot include analytics, data or data access capability or other communication access. All team personnel will be allowed to view the tablets during the game. 

The two-minute warning is coming to college football

For decades, the two-minute warning has been in place in the NFL as a way to squeeze more commercial breaks into the game. Now, that feature is coming to the NCAA.

These breaks will come in the second and fourth quarters. They will also trigger the final two-minute timing rules during which the clock stops after a first down and ten-second runoffs can be imposed following pre-snap penalties when the clock is running.

Horse-collar tackle fouls expanded

This year, the NCAA is expanding its horse-collar tackle rules. Previously, such tackles were allowed to legally take place when the ball carrier was inside the tackle box.

Now, however, horse-collar tackles are illegal everywhere on the field and will result in a 15-yard penalty. This is an important change for the sake of player safety.

Collaborative replays now available for all conferences

Tired of seeing the head referee jog down the field and look at a tiny monitor to determine the outcome of a replay by himself? Well, that isn't going away but now, conferences can officially use a collaborative replay system.

Formerly an experimental rule, each conference can now set up a system where off-site officials can help review plays and help the lead official make a call. How each conference decides to implement this procedure is up to each league.