Beau Pribula Has Two Helmets
Answering a small, possibly obvious question
It’s a very small detail that doesn’t matter a whole heck of a lot but there is a question in need of answering: Does Penn State quarterback/Swiss army knife, Beau Pribula have two helmets? One with an in-helmet communication device, and one without?
“When I go on the field - you’re not allowed to have two helmet communications on the field at once, so I have two different helmets,” Pribula said earlier this week. “When [Drew Allar is still on the field] I’ve got to have a helmet without one.”
So the answer is yes.
It’s not terribly surprising, but it does answer the question of what happens when Pribula and starting quarterback Drew Allar are both on the field at the same time. A new NCAA rule change this offseason allows for one player - not two - on each side of the ball to wear a helmet with communication devices. Generally those are identifiable via a green dot/sticker on the back of the helmet. The communication from the coach to player is turned off with 15 seconds remaining on the play clock or when the ball is snapped, whichever comes first.
As for the why this is happening in the first place?
"I think the whole, the whole reason this got changed is the sign-stealing deal," Franklin said earlier this summer about the rule change. "And it doesn't really help. I think a lot of people that passed the rule think it did. But if you're running a no-huddle offense and can talk to the quarterback, how do you get the information to the wideouts that are 53 yards apart from each other? You're still going to have to signal to them. So there may be more people huddling that didn't than in the past."
"It doesn't really resolve that," Franklin said. "I think it's a good rule change. I'm glad it happened. But I think the whole reason the rule got changed is because of the sign-stealing discussion and I don't really feel that resolves it whatsoever."
So small mystery solved. Here’s to being the guy who is in charge of not losing both helmets.