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College Football/NCAA Instant Replay

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Expert: - 11/19/2011


Question
Upon review a college football play, do the officials look at videos in slow motion or real time pace?

Thanks.

Answer
Bill
Great Question. The Replay official, communicator and technician review the play in real time and slow motion.  Whatever operational technical equipment is available at the game site and in the replay both is used.  This includes slow motion and freeze frame,  If frame by frame is available they will view that as well.  However, they can only view the angles provided to them by the stadium or TV truck.  There are times where the TV audience sees angles not available to the replay officials and vice versa.  Remember the presumption in the rule book is that the ruling on the field is correct and there must be video evidence "beyond all doubt that the ruling on the field is incorrect." So the replay official will view the play in real time first then slow motion and often time frame by frame.

Another bit of information about the Replay rules that govern replay: It falls under Rule 12 - Instant Replay Chapter of the rulebook.  This rule is still in its infancy under NCAA rules.  There is no article or section mandating that the officials review it in slow motion or real time.  There is a national organization of College Football Officials [CFO] that oversees the uniformed mechanics of replay.  They instruct each conference and replay official how to review plays.  This includes viewing the play from every available video feed in the replay booth in real time speed, slow motion, frame by frame and isolating specific frames.  Much of this approach is taken directly from the NFL.  Most of the equipment uses a TiVo or DVR type technology.  Also know Replay is not mandatory by rule, it is up to each conference and or school [Rule 12-2-1]

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