ATHENS — Carson Beck is among the quarterbacks who figure to benefit from the technology being introduced into the collegiate game this season.
iPads will be allowed on the game day sidelines and teams will have the option of using helmet communication — one player on the field, offense and defense.
The coach-to-player helmet communication will be shut off with 15 seconds remaining on the play clock or when the ball is snapped — whatever comes first.
Helmet-to-player communication has been used since 1994.
“I love the fact that (OC Mike Bobo) is able to talk,” Beck said, “because there’s like a little cue that he might say for a play, ‘look out for this coverage, and do this or do this,’ just like little things, but I like it a lot.”
Beck, of course, is known for his ability to process information quickly, with his ability to solve Rubik’s Cube in under a minute, and read defenses immediately.
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The ACC and SEC have also approved the use of IPads on the sidelines for the upcoming seasons.
Beck was made aware of that during his appearance at the SEC Media Days event in Dallas on Tuesday.
“I think going back and watching film this past year, I almost wished that we had iPads,” Beck said, “because there’s so many different situations that happened throughout a game, but when situations repeat, a lot of defensive coordinators end up going back to what worked before and they’ll repeat calls.”
Beck managed games well in his first season as Georgia’s starting quarterback last season, even without the coach-to-player helmet technology and iPad usage on sidelines.
The Georgia quarterback went 13-1 in games and was third in the nation and first in the SEC wit 3,941 passing yards.
Beck was also fourth in the nation in completion percentage (.724).
The only issue Beck said he had with the helmet communication utilized in spring practice was the volume level.
“Coach Bobo always says this, he always says that he’s deaf, so he talks very loud,” Beck explained. “So when we respond back to him we need to be loud as well.
“I don’t even think he realized how loud he was talking into the microphone at first.”
Beck said it was so loud during an early spring scrimmage he removed his helmet.
“…. he’s yelling, I literally took my helmet off and I could still hear him holding the helmet over here,” Beck said, emulating holding a helmet a arm’s length.
“So I go to the equipment guys and I’m like, ‘Yo, can y’all turn this down?”
Giving Beck the opportunity to receive and process even more knowledge should lead to his passing numbers going up once UGA opens the season with Clemson at noon on Aug. 31.
