LSU's Brian Kelly on lack of headset communication - 'It's silly' - ESPN

BATON ROUGE, La. — LSU coach Brian Kelly said he's encouraged the SEC to adopt headset communication, but that his efforts have ultimately gone nowhere.

Kelly is frustrated that they can't use the technology, which is readily available and would effectively eliminate the practice of stealing signs.

«It's silly,» he told ESPN on Wednesday. «Silly meaning my genuine feeling is that we have too many smart people that have looked at this and said we should be doing it and we haven't taken the time to actually move it forward.»

Kelly said that teams attempting to steal signals of opponents has been «going on forever.»

Asked whether those efforts ever rose to the level of what Michigan is accused of, sending people to scout opponents in-person and using recording devices, Kelly said, «Who knows.»

«But this isn't the first time we've heard of sign stealing,» he said, «whether there is proposed sign stealing or people were buying tickets to other games. This is all part of why this should not even be part of the equation.»

Kelly said the tangible effect of stealing signals is debatable. In 32 years coaching, he said he's never believed they lost a game because of it.

«I've never come back to the office and go, they got us,» he added.

Administrators have raised concerns that headset communication like the kind used in the NFL would void the warranties of helmets. There's also the consideration of cost and implementation. Officials would have to employ someone to turn off the communication devices before each play as well.

But, as Kelly said, «I just don't see why not.»

A longtime official told ESPN's Adam Rittenberg that the excuses don't merit not using the devices.

«If you want to clean up what's going on at Michigan and every