Two seasons ago, the NCAA passed a rule limiting the number of headsets that a staff could wear for coaching communication. It was born out of top staffs having unlimited budgets and hiring a bunch of analysts. In order to level the playing field, they didn't want those staffs to be able to have major advantages with a bunch of analysts watching each individual aspect of a game and having direct communication to the rest of the staff.
The rule (NCAA 1-4-12, article 12) states that there can be 23 headsets on a staff. The allowance is broken down as:
15: head coach, the 10 full time assistants, and the 4 GAs
3: listen only headsets used by these analysts
4: players (backup QBs) or full-time undergraduate students
1: "communications technician" (equipment staffer to be aware of any audio problems)
These still shots from the telecast last night appear to show LSU adhering to the rule:
Each person in the booth is noted with a number:
1) Steve Ensminger (coach-OC)
2) Joe Brady (coach-WR)
3) DJ Mangis (analyst, 1 of 3 listening only headsets)
4) Bill Busch (coach-safeties)
5) Ty Spotts-Orgeron (analyst, 2 of 3 listening only headsets)
6) August Mangin (analyst, 3 of 3 listening only headsets)
7) Blaine Gautier (analyst, does not appear to have a headset)
8) Alec Osborne (graduate assistant)
9) KJ Greathouse (equipment staffer, "communications technician")
As you can see, they are not in violation of the number of headsets being used.
However, that same NCAA rule states:
The rule (NCAA 1-4-12, article 12) states that there can be 23 headsets on a staff. The allowance is broken down as:
15: head coach, the 10 full time assistants, and the 4 GAs
3: listen only headsets used by these analysts
4: players (backup QBs) or full-time undergraduate students
1: "communications technician" (equipment staffer to be aware of any audio problems)
These still shots from the telecast last night appear to show LSU adhering to the rule:
Each person in the booth is noted with a number:
1) Steve Ensminger (coach-OC)
2) Joe Brady (coach-WR)
3) DJ Mangis (analyst, 1 of 3 listening only headsets)
4) Bill Busch (coach-safeties)
5) Ty Spotts-Orgeron (analyst, 2 of 3 listening only headsets)
6) August Mangin (analyst, 3 of 3 listening only headsets)
7) Blaine Gautier (analyst, does not appear to have a headset)
8) Alec Osborne (graduate assistant)
9) KJ Greathouse (equipment staffer, "communications technician")
As you can see, they are not in violation of the number of headsets being used.
However, that same NCAA rule states:
- Three (3) “listen only” headsets may be used in the Coaches Booth by individuals who are full time undergraduate students or are within 10 years of exhaustion of eligibility or, if earlier, college graduation. Only countable coaches, graduate assistants and the three individuals using the “listen only” devices may be in the coaches’ booth. (Exception: One communication technician.
As you can see, only the countable coaches (full-time), GAs, three "listen only" headsets (used by analysts on the LSU staff), and one communication technician can be in the booth. That means Blaine Gautier being in the booth, with or without a headset, is a violation.
And then there are more potential violations, as this picture was taken shortly before the game showing many more people than allowed in the booth. From left to right (Blaine Gautier - violation), Steve Ensminger (coach), August Mangin (1 of 3 listening only), Joe Brady (coach), Ty Spotts-Orgeron (2 of 3 listening only), DJ Mangis (3 of 3 listening only), unknown (violation #2), Bill Busch (coach), Alec Osborne (GA), KJ Greathouse (equipment staffer - communications technician).
During the game, there is proof of at least one violation. Right before kickoff, with a picture showing the exact same people in the booth as the telecast shows, there appears to be a second violation of staffers in the booth.
