Clemson To Leverage iPads During Football Games in New ACC Deal

The Clemson Tigers and the rest of the ACC will be able to use iPads to stream footage for in-game evaluation in 2024.

Clemson safety Rob Billings (14) and Clemson defensive lineman DeMonte Capehart (19) tackle Clemsonn running back Tristen Rigby (31) during the fourth quarter of the Spring football game in Clemson, S.C. Saturday, April 6, 2024. / Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Atlantic Coast Conference announced their partnerships with Apple on Monday, which will provide iPad technology to each of its 17 football teams to review in-game footage on gamedays.

In April, the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved the use of video for in-game evaluation.

The Big 12 announced a partnership last week with Microsoft for a similar arrangement. The SEC announced a deal with Apple during its media days on Monday in Dallas.

The Clemson Tigers will use the technology for the first time in a game when it faces Georgia on Aug. 31 in Atlanta.

The first ACC team that will get to use the technology will be Florida State and Georgia Tech, who are set to open the season in Dublin, Ireland, in Week Zero in the 2024 Aer Lingus College Football Classic at Aviva Stadium on Aug. 24.

The iPads, which will be provided by the ACC, will give coaches and players the chance to immediately view video playback to evaluate on-field performance.

The video provided to each team’s sideline will include the broadcast feed and camera angles from the coach's sideline and coach's end zone.

“The ACC continues its commitment in embracing the use of technology to elevate the performance of our student-athletes, teams, officials, and more,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips in a press release. “We are proud to advance the sport of football and build upon our positive experiences over the last two years of testing in men’s and women’s basketball.”

There is a framework around what teams will be able to do with the technology, though the ACC’s press released did not outline it.

The Big 12’s language allowed coaches and players on the sidelines, along with coaches in the booth to use tablets during the game. The Big 12 won’t allow teams to connect them to other devices to project larger images. That league also cannot include analytics, data or data access capability or other communication access.

It’s likely the ACC and the SEC have similar rules around iPad use.

The NFL has been using tablets in-game for several years.

Clemson opens the season on Aug. 31 in Atlanta against Georgia. After the opener the Tigers return home for three straight games — vs. Appalachian State on Sept. 7, vs. NC State on Sept. 21 to open ACC play and vs. Stanford on Sept. 28, marking their first game against one of the league’s three new members, which includes Cal and SMU.

The rest of the schedule includes trips to Florida State Oct. 5 and Wake Forest on Oct. 12, followed two straight home contests with Virginia on Oct. 19 and Louisville on Nov. 2. Clemson then travels to Virginia Tech on Nov. 9 and Pitt on Nov. 16, followed by home games with The Citadel on Nov. 23 and South Carolina on Nov. 30.