Sports
MAC Commissioner Addresses Media Day
By: Megan Stamper
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The Mid-American Conference held its annual media day in Detroit, Michigan on this past Thursday. All 12 teams from both divisions attended, with a coach and two players representing each team. To kick off the event, MAC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher held a press conference discussing the accomplishments of MAC athletics this past year, and to explain changes in the coming years.
One of the topics Steinbrecher mentioned was new technology and systems being used on the sidelines for instant replay to review a call.
“The NCAA has approved an experimental rule that allows collaborative replay,” said Steinbrecher. “This allows for communication between the in-stadium replay official, and other replay officials or rules experts, even from a remote location.”
He went on to say that the MAC had been selected to test this experiment at select games throughout the season. During these games, there will be a computer tablet on the sidelines that will allow referees to view images that the replay official is seeing. Steinbrecher also said that MAC officials will uses devices to communicate on the field during games to help eliminate any miscommunication and help explain penalties to coaches faster.
One of the hot topics in college football lately has been satellite camps and the recruiting process. Steinbrecher discussed in-depth future plans for recruiting and satellite camps.
“I am an advocate for reducing the time frame in which satellite camps can be held,” said Steinbrecher. “I would also suggest that only coaches who have recruiting responsibility and graduate assistants take part in satellite camps.”
Steinbrecher further discussed his ideas in detail, saying that a reasonable time frame for the camps would be a 15-day time frame, and that satellite camps should only be allowed to take place on another college campus, prohibiting camps from taking place at high schools.
The Mid-American football season begins on Thursday, September 1st when Central Michigan faces Presbyterian at home.