Donald Trump’s planned appearance at Saturday’s high-profile college football matchup between Tennessee and Texas could directly affect how players and coaches communicate during the game.
The White House confirmed this week that the President will travel to Knoxville for the marquee SEC contest before attending The Presidents Cup on Sunday.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian has now detailed the extensive security measures expected at Neyland Stadium, including a protocol that could temporarily cut off his team’s communications without warning.
Speaking on Wednesday, Sarkisian explained that communications are suspended whenever the President enters or exits the stadium, or moves between locations inside the venue.
“The one thing you have to be aware of when the President goes to any game is that any time he enters the stadium, leaves the stadium or changes locations within the stadium, they cut all communication,” he said.
“They cut the coaches’ headsets and the coach-to-player communication. You have to have a plan for that if and when it happens, and you get no warning. The communication simply cuts out.
“If he arrives in the middle of the first quarter, leaves during the fourth or decides he needs to use the restroom, whatever the situation may be, you have to be ready to operate without communication for a short period.”
Donald Trump’s attendance at Saturday’s college football clash between Tennessee and Texas could have a direct impact on players and coaches
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian has described the strict security protocol expected during the President’s visit
Sarkisian said a similar disruption occurred during last year’s national championship game between Indiana and Miami, when Trump was also in attendance.
“A good friend of mine is [Miami head coach] Mario Cristobal. When they played Indiana in last year’s national championship, they had that drive at the end of the game,” Sarkisian said.
“They had no communication because he was leaving before the game had finished. You get no warning; it just cuts out. You have to be prepared for it.”
This will not be Sarkisian’s first experience with the procedure. He encountered it in 2019 while serving as Alabama’s offensive coordinator, when Trump attended the Crimson Tide’s meeting with LSU in Tuscaloosa.
Since returning to the Oval Office, Trump has attended several major sporting occasions, including the World Cup final, the Ryder Cup and the US Open final.
Those appearances have brought heightened security operations, creating significant knock-on effects for the thousands of spectators inside and around each venue.
This summer, fans were still waiting outside Madison Square Garden when Game 3 of the NBA Finals began because of intensified security checks.
Similarly, Trump’s appearance at last year’s men’s US Open final delayed the match by 30 minutes and produced lengthy security queues for frustrated tennis fans.
Sarkisian said all communication is cut whenever the President enters, exits or changes locations inside a stadium
Trump has attended a number of the biggest sporting events since returning to the White House
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Organizers would later apologize to fans for the delays, saying: ‘We understand the frustration of fans that were delayed in their entrance to Arthur Ashe Stadium.
‘The added security protocols were put in place by the United States Secret Service. We took several steps to make this process as seamless as possible and educate our attendees on the potential delays in advance of their arrival.’
Meanwhile, it was revealed on Thursday that Trump is not expected to appear on ESPN’s College GameDay on Saturday, despite speculation that he could join the desk before Tennessee’s clash with Texas.
Rumors went into overdrive earlier this week after the White House confirmed that Trump will be in Knoxville to attend the SEC showdown at Neyland Stadium.
The game will kick off at 12pm ET – with ESPN’s College GameDay in town for the first ever regular season meeting between Texas and Tennessee.
Given Trump’s friendship with hosts Pat McAfee and Nick Saban, fans began speculating that the President could feature as a guest picker or join the broadcast.
However, sources have since told Front Office Sports that Trump is not anticipated to make an appearance on the iconic pregame show prior to kickoff on the day.
