HOOVER, Ala. -- The Southeastern Conference will have an extra person monitoring games for possible head and neck trauma.
SEC coordinator of officials Steve Shaw said Tuesday at the league media days that an independent medical observer will be in the instant replay booth. The person will be a certified athletic trainer appointed by the league.
Shaw described it as a fourth line of defense in protection after the players themselves, coaches and game officials.
The observer will have a replay monitor and will be able to communicate with the referee to have a player taken from the game. Any player pulled must miss at least one play.
The observer will be used at all SEC games and league home games. Florida used one at some games last year.