TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The NCAA’s newly approved helmet communication will play a key role in how Jalen Milroe barks out plays to Alabama’s offense this fall. However, the starting quarterback isn’t the only Crimson Tide player who will need to be comfortable using the new technology on the field.

Beginning this season, coaches will be able to communicate with one player on the field through the use of a helmet microphone. The designated player will be signified by a green dot on their helmet and will be their team’s only player on the field with communication technology.

When Alabama has the ball, that player will be Milroe. But when the defense takes the field, Deontae Lawson figures to take over green-dot duties for the Tide.

“It’s going pretty well right now,” Lawson said Tuesday when asked about getting used to the new technology. “I had it in the spring, so I tried to get all my difficulties out in the spring. In fall camp, it’s gone good.”

The new headset technology comes with a catch. Coach-to-player communication will be shut off with 15 or fewer seconds on the play clock or with the snap of the ball — whichever comes first.

First-year defensive coordinator Kane Wommack won’t have any problem relaying calls to Lawson against fast-tempo offenses. However, teams might try to get crafty by having their offenses wait until after the play clock winds down to 15 before quickly resetting their formations.

“It will be a cat-and-mouse game,” Wommack said. “I’m excited to see how to navigate that. I want to stay ahead of the curve.”

Alabama did its best to simulate how helmet communication will work in a game-like setting during its scrimmage over the weekend. Still, it’s hard to prepare for the variety of ways the Tide’s opponents will look to take advantage of the technology this fall.

“You could write a book on the headset communication and how different it is from where we were with signaling to where we are now,” Wommack said. “I think you’re going to see all things over the spectrum. I think you’re going to see some people that still do all the signaling and some who go exclusively to the headset communication.”

When Alabama’s defense finds itself relaying shifts the old-fashioned way, it can rest easy knowing it has an experienced signal-caller in Lawson. The junior linebacker called out Alabama’s defense during his first full season as a starter last year. This fall, he’ll have a bit of extra help as fellow returning starting linebacker Jihaad Campbell has a better feel for the defense as well.

“He’s elite,” Lawson said of Campbell. “He’s coming to work every day, he’s learning everything he can. He could be a signal-caller as well. It’s great to have two guys in the linebacker room that can be a signal-caller. It’s easier to communicate to the rest of the guys.”

After starting alongside Campbell last season, Lawson said he’s developed a bit of chemistry with his inside linebacking partner. That should only increase Alabama’s cohesiveness on defense.

“We play fast, and we play physical,” Lawson said. “Now we can play free, and it’s just allowed us to make plays and fly around the field.”