SAN ANTONIO, Texas (KXXV) — The 92nd annual Texas High School Coaches Association is back in San Antonio.
College coaches discuss the changes for the NCAA, like helmet communication through the quarterback — coaches have given it a try and they see positives, but also notice limitations.
"There's still going to be signal stealing, I don't think that eliminates it," said Baylor's head football coach, Dave Aranda.
"There's too many people on defense particularly — but what I think it does is it helps with the ability to be more situationally aware."
"The other 10 players still need to know what to do, and so yes, I can talk to the quarterback, but how do I get the receivers and the linemen and everybody still knowing those plays," said Texas' head football coach, Steve Sarkisian said.
"Would it minimize some of the signaling? Maybe on offense — but I don't know necessarily that they're gonna be able to go faster."
High school coaches also take part in the convention to learn about new rules and recommendations — this is Central Texas so the heat's impact on local athletes is always a topic, and medical advisors for THSCA have brought changes.
"One — is there is a requirement this year that all schools have on hand, what we would call a cooling zone or an ability to rapidly cool student athletes that are experiencing heat exhaustion or heat stroke," said UIL Director of Athletics, Ray Zepeda.
"Second recommendation that came forth this year is that emergency action plan actually has to contain specific actions that you're going to take to address a heat emergency," Zepeda said.
Some schools rose up or down in divisions due to UIL realignments — with the growth of the lone start state expanding, UIL Deputy Director, Dr. Jamey Harrison, spoke on the possibility of a 7A class being added.
"If you're going to go from 6A, 5A to 7A, 6A, 5A, and you go down to about 200 schools that's gonna require 600 schools and 200 in each — so there's just not 600 schools there, which we think is about the minimum, we would need to create three conferences out of two," Dr. Harrison said.
"As the state grows and we are a fast growth state, 7A is very much still a possibility, but not for some time and then not until we see that growth," Dr. Harrison said.
The convention ends on Tuesday, and then Central Texans return to get ready for the upcoming football season.
