Buford High RB commits to Tech

Bulldogs receivers coach to interview for same job at LSU.

Georgia Tech got its first football commitment for 2016.

Xavier Gantt, a running back from Buford High School, committed to the Yellow Jackets on Wednesday.

“I think he has been down to Georgia Tech quite a few times,” Buford coach Jess Simpson told the AJC. “He had built a close relationship with those coaches. And now he’ll have a teammate in David Curry (a 2015 Tech signee from Buford) when he gets down there.

“Xavier is a great student, first of all. He’s a great kid with great character. He’s a leader in our program, and he’s a special talent on the field.”

The 5-foot-10, 163-pound junior rushed for 699 yards and 10 touchdowns this past season despite missing a few games due to injury. He also played defensive back, finishing with 12 tackles and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Gantt returned eight kickoffs for 369 yards and two touchdowns.

He will play running back at Tech. Gantt’s coach said he had early offers from Miami, Mississippi State, Ohio State and Wake Forest, among others.—

MICHAEL CARVELL

Georgia: Wide receivers coach Tony Ball is a

candidate for the same position at LSU, he confirmed to the AJC.

Ball has been on Georgia’s staff since 2006. After three years as running backs coach, he became receivers coach in 2009.

The vacancy at LSU was created when wide receivers coach Adam Henry left for a job with the San Francisco 49ers.

Ball is expected to interview for the job in Baton Rouge today.

— TIM TUCKER

New rules: The NCAA football rules committee wants to experiment with helmet cameras, wireless communication between coaches and players on the field and the use of computers on the sideline.

The committee announced Wednesday after two days of meetings in Indianapolis that it was hoping to gather data about expanding the use of technology with an eye toward implementing rules as soon as possible.

The NCAA said several conferences proposed experimenting with these rules, and committee chairman and Air Force coach Troy Calhoun suggested the technology be used in some December bowl games next season.

The committee also passed a proposal to adjust the ineligible downfield rule from 3 yards to 1 yard past the line and to allow for eight-man officiating crews rather than seven. The proposals are to go before the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on March 5.