Tide take precautions in wake of Michigan's sign-stealing scandal - ESPN

LOS ANGELES — In the wake of Michigan's sign-stealing scandal, Alabama has taken extra precautions to avoid any potential intrusions by changing the way its players watch practice film in advance of the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Rose Bowl.

«We're just trying to secure our stuff,» Alabama running back Jase McClellan said. "[The coaches] didn't do much explaining. They just did it, told us and we adjusted to it."

According to several players who spoke Thursday, while they typically had been able to have film on their iPads and take it home to watch it on their own time, players have no longer been able to do that as they prepare for the playoff game.

«I think they said Michigan was stealing signs the first eight weeks or something like that,» wide receiver Isaiah Bond said of the allegations. «So we're just watching film with the team, because we're not allowed to watch film on our own; we don't want any stuff like that happening again.»

As Michigan has been accused of stealing opponents' signals this season, opponents have changed their in-game signs and the way they communicate them as well.

Not only does Alabama appear to have instructed its players to avoid using their iPads for film study but, as McClellan explained, the team isn't uploading practice film to players' devices anymore, instead keeping it in the main computer system for players to watch with their position groups while at the practice facility.

«We just have to go to a different location to watch film, but we're all watching the film as we normally would for a normal game,» offensive lineman Tyler Booker said. «It could be a connection because the way the film is set up with the server. All that we know is that we have to go out and treat