The NCAA has a net headset rule for 2018.

Originally, teams were limited to 20 headsets on game days, but the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved the revised headset rule to 23, per AFCA executive director Todd Berry.

The 23 headsets have certain limitations though. Three of the 23 are designed to be “listen-only” devices, while 20 can be used by countable coaches and graduate assistants.

Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn called the original rule a joke earlier this year, and this slight modification isn’t going to change his mind.

“The 20 headset rule is a joke,” Malzahn said at the SEC Spring Meetings. “There’s no doubt it. I think that’s got the ability to hurt our game. That’s a really big deal and that came about just to try to affect the staff sizes. Any rules that’s put in place because of something else is not good.

“That’s something we’re going to have to deal with. The quality of the game, coaching, that’s what I’m concerned about. The fact that you can only have 10 assistants or your four guys up in the booth and have headsets on and then you’re going to put four of your current players on a headset? I don’t know. I mean that’s going to affect the game and that’s disappointing.”