Big 12 says no games compromised by unsecured helmet comms - ESPN
The Big 12 determined Thursday that none of its games were compromised by unencrypted frequencies used with coach-to-player in-game communications this season.
Sources told ESPN on Wednesday that the coach-to-player communications for all Power 4 college football games this season have been on unencrypted frequencies, and Texas Tech requested a report from the Big 12 on its recent games against TCU and Baylor — both losses — to ensure the integrity of the games were not compromised.
Athletic director Kirby Hocutt said he raised the issue during a call with Big 12 athletic directors Tuesday, after learning that anyone with a scanner and knowledge of how to locate the frequencies had access to those in-game communications.
«Following the industry-wide concerns surrounding helmet communications, the Big 12 conducted a review of conference games and helmet communications processes to address any issues member institutions raised regarding this matter,» the Big 12 said in a statement issued Thursday. «The review showed that at no point was any Big 12 competition compromised.»
In addition, all Big 12 helmet communication programs now have the update from GSC that provides encryption, and schools may use either CoachComm or GSC for coach-to-player communication at their discretion.
GSC is the helmet communication device provider for all 68 teams in Power 4 conferences this season.
«We've got to have a game whose integrity is not questionable in any way on a Saturday afternoon,» Hocutt told ESPN on Wednesday. «We owe it to the 120 young men on our football team to ensure that happens, that it's a game of fair competition and the same set of rules are enforced.»
The revelation that college football teams have not been using