South Atlantic Conference to Utilize Instant Replay for Football and Basketball in 2024-25

August 8, 2024

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – The South Atlantic Conference has partnered with SkyCoach to provide replay for the football and basketball seasons. The SAC has also approved the use of up to six tablets on the sidelines for coaches to use. With football kicking off in just three weeks, here is what replay means for the 2024 SAC Football season.
The SAC Referee will be the sole decision maker on any review and will include one additional crew member to consult with during the review process using the SkyCoach Instant Replay System. SkyCoach provides two camera angles for the review system.

All targeting fouls called on the field must be reviewed immediately. The only other method to stop a game for an instant replay review is through a coach's challenge. Each team will be permitted one challenge during the game. If the challenge is successful, the team retains the challenge which may be used only one more time during the game. If the challenge is unsuccessful, the team uses the timeout and is out of challenges for the rest of the game. The team will not be charged with a timeout if the challenge is successful.

The crew on the field may not initiate an instant replay review except for a targeting foul called on the field as noted above. The head coach will initiate a challenge by throwing a red flag onto the field. The team must have a time out available for the head coach to challenge a play. Also, the head coach must throw the flag before the snap of the next play. If the play for a targeting foul or a coach's challenge is not available for review because of an equipment failure or camera operator malfunction, the ruling on the field will stand as called and the team will neither lose its challenge, nor will it be charged with a timeout.

Should a game go to overtime, a team does not receive a new challenge.

Challengeable Plays

Scoring Plays
- A potential touchdown or safety
- Field goal attempts (note: if a ball is higher than the top of the uprights as it crosses the end line, it may not be reviewed)

Passes
- Pass ruled complete, incomplete or intercepted
- Forward pass touched by a player (eligible or ineligible) or an official, including where the touching is beyond or behind the line of scrimmage
- Forward pass or forward handing when a ball carrier is or has been beyond the line of scrimmage
- Forward pass or forward handing after a change of team possession
- Pass ruled forward or backward
- Location of the ball when there is a ruling of intentional grounding

Dead Ball and Loose Ball
- Loose ball by potential passer ruled fumble
- Loose ball by passer ruled incomplete forward pass when there is a clear recovery, or the ball goes out of bounds in the immediate continuing action after a loose ball.
- Live ball not ruled dead in possession of ball carrier.
- Loose ball ruled dead or live ball ruled dead in the possession of the ball carrier when the clear recovery of a loose ball in the immediate continuing football action.
- Ball carriers forward progress, spot of fumble, or spot of out of bounds backwards pass, with respect to a first down or goal line.
- Catch or recovery of a fumble by a Team A player other than the fumbler before any change of possession during fourth down or a try.
- Ball carrier in or out of bounds (Note: If a ball carrier is ruled out of bounds the play is not reviewable unless it involves a potential scoring play or involves the recovery of a loose ball)
- Catch, recovery or touching of a loose ball by a player inbounds or out of bounds.
- A loose ball touching on or beyond a sideline, goal line, or end line, touching a pylon, or breaking the plane of the goal line.
- Catch or recovery of a loose ball in the field of play or end zone.
- Forward fumble that goes out of bounds with respect to a first down.

Kicks
- Touching of a kick.
- Player beyond the neutral zone when kicking the ball.
- Kicking team player advancing the ball after a potential muffed kick/fumble by the receiving team.
- Scrimmage kick crossing the neutral zone.
- Blocking by players of the kicking team before they are eligible to touch the ball on an on-side kick.
- A player touching or recovering a kick or loose ball who is or has been out of bounds during the kick.
- Receiving team advancing after a fair catch signal.

Targeting
- Called Targeting Plays will be automatically reviewed by the SAC referee. For a player to be disqualified for Targeting there must be all elements of a Targeting Foul as confirmed by the SAC referee during the review. There is no option for "ruling stands" as a part of Targeting review. If any element of Targeting cannot be confirmed during the review, then the SAC Referee must overturn the Targeting foul. (Note: If the Targeting play is not available for Review, the targeting ruling on the field will "stand" as called.)
- The Head Coach may challenge a play not called Targeting by the SAC officials.

Timing
- No timing errors will be reviewed as part of this SAC Replay System, as there is no access to the game clock as part of this system.

Miscellaneous
- Position of the ball in relation to the goal line.
- Number of players on the field for either team during a live ball.
- Correcting the number of a down. (Note: The correction may be made at any time within that series of downs or before the ball is legally put in play after that series concludes.)
- Any person who is not a player interfering with live-ball action on the field of play.

About SkyCoach
SkyCoach is leading a revolution in how coaches, athletes, and referees utilize information during a sporting event. Through the integration of real-time video and data analysis, SkyCoach empowers coaches to make in-game adjustments, supports referees in their decisions, and educates players when it matters the most.