Towers a common sight at college football practices
Multiple cameras tape all the action from every angle on the football field.
You'd expect to see that at any college football game, but at every practice?
Yes.
That's because breaking down the tape, as they say in the business, isn't just for game days anymore. It has become as much a part of a coach's routine as blowing a whistle or shouting out proper formations.
Legendary Alabama football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant climbed his own tower to oversee his practices in the early 1960s. Today's coaches, however, still want to see every movement and everything that happens during practice so they rely on video crews to be their eyes on a daily basis.
Following Wednesday's tragedy at the University of Notre Dame in which a student from Long Grove died after high winds knocked down the hydraulic lift he was using to help shoot the practice, the Daily Herald checked with other universities regarding their use of such towers.
Like other schools, Northwestern University has a number of policies in place with regards to severe weather (such as lightning, tornado warnings, etc.) to protect student-athletes, coaches, students and staff.
While there are no written policies regarding the use of lifts at football practice, Mike Wolf, assistant AD/Director of Football at Northwestern, said the school follows the operating guidelines and procedures that are suggested by the lift provider.
At Northern Illinois, four different cameras are used to film each practice, one of which is aboard a lift. Northwestern employs multiple camera positions as well, including three on lifts.
Because of the weather conditions the past few days, however, the lift at Northern wasn't manned during practice Wednesday, while the Wildcats decided to move their practices indoors. Notre Dame practiced indoors on Tuesday, but moved the afternoon practice outdoors on Wednesday.
The Indiana Office of Safety and Health Administration is investigating the accident.