One of the buzzier announcements at Big 12 Media Days last week was a deal with Microsoft to provide tablets on the sidelines and in the coaches’ boxes during games.
The deal, the first of its kind at the college level, will allow players and coaches access to video review in-game. Microsoft has a similar deal with the NFL.
But this deal may take things a step further. With the ability to review in-game videos and access to up to 18 tablets, all team personnel will be allowed to view them during games.
It was difficult to determine if Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham was excited about the change or not. He actually said it was “like cheating.”
Why?
“You don’t have to see the game live,” he said. “You don’t have to adapt. I think really what it does is it’s going to create bigger game plans because before, you may be able to get away with something that somebody didn’t see, a twist game, the alignment of a linebacker being plussed over a three technique, now people will be able to see it. You’re almost going to have to carry, in my opinion, a larger game plan in order to change when teams change because they literally get to watch live video of you.”
There are things they can’t do with the tablets. The cannot be connected to other devices to project larger images. They also cannot include analytics, data or data access capability or other communication access.
It’s a brave new world for the Big 12 and for the Sun Devils, who play their first season in the league in 2024.
In Dillingham’s first season, Arizona State went 3-9, with a 2-7 record in their final season in the Pac-12, where they played since 1978.
Things got worse. Starting quarterback Jaden Rashada transferred to Georgia. Dillingham is likely trusting Michigan State transfer Sam Leavitt behind center. There are weapons around him, including returning back Cam Skattebo and wide receivers Troy Omeire and Melquan Stovall. USC transfer running back Raleek Brown also joins the mix.
Clayton Smith and Prince Dorbah will anchor the pass rush, as the pair combined for 10 sacks. Only three full-time starters are back, one of which is safety Shamari Simmons, who had 73 tackles.
The Sun Devils host two games to start the season against Wyoming on Aug. 31 and Mississippi State on Sept. 7. Arizona State then travels to Texas State on Sept. 12.
Arizona State travels to Texas Tech to open Big 12 play on Sept. 21. After that, it hosts Kansas on Oct. 5 and Utah on Oct. 11. That is followed by a road trip to Cincinnati on Oct. 19.
Arizona plays five straight games to end the season, starting at Oklahoma State on Nov. 2. Then the Sun Devils host UCF on Nov. 9, travel to Kansas State on Nov. 16, host BYU on Nov. 23, and then travel to Arizona on Nov. 30 to play for the Territorial Cup.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
