SEC cracks down on coaches and
teams faking injuries to slow hurry-up offenses
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[November 02, 2024]
By MARK LONG
The Southeastern Conference is cracking down on its players falling
down and feigning injuries.
In a letter to league coaches and athletic directors that was shared
with The Associated Press on Friday, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey
told teams to “stop any and all activity related to faking injuries
to create timeouts.” Yahoo Sports first reported the letter.
The league also tweaked an existing rule to give it more leeway in
punishing coaches and programs for violations. Now, if the national
coordinator for football officiating says it’s more likely than not
that a feigned injury occurred, then it will be considered a feigned
injury and subject to a penalty.
“Your team should be prepared to compete fairly under the rules of
the game,” Sankey wrote.
Before Friday’s rules adjustment, teams had to send video to the
national coordinator for review. Now, the SEC office can request a
video review if warranted.
“When defending against a “hurry up” offense, you are to use the
allocated team timeouts if you need to stop play or you may allow
the play to continue with the personnel and defensive play call in
place,” Sankey wrote. “When on offense, if the play clock is running
out, you are to use a team timeout or accept the delay of game
penalty.
“Creating injury timeouts in these circumstances is not acceptable
and is disrespectful to the game of college football.”
A feigned injury finding can be cleared if medical information is
presented that establishes a player had to disrupt the game for an
injury.
If not, the SEC would implement the following fine structure that
already had been in place:
— For a team’s first finding of a feigned injury, the head coach
will receive a public reprimand and a financial penalty of $50,000
will be assessed.
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Mississippi head coach Lane Kiffin signals to players during the
second half of an NCAA college football game against the
Mississippi, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Oxford, Miss. (AP
Photo/Sarah Warnock)
— For a team’s second finding of a feigned injury,
the head coach will receive a public reprimand and a financial
penalty of $100,000 will be assessed.
— For a team’s third finding of a feigned injury and any subsequent
findings, the head coach will receive a public reprimand and a
suspension for the team’s next contest.
— If any other staff member is found to have been involved in
signaling, encouraging or directing a feigned injury, that
individual will be subject to the same accountability measures
presented in this memorandum, including public reprimand, financial
penalties and suspensions.
— If a student-athlete is cited for a feigned injury, the
student-athlete also may be subject to a public reprimand.
“Play football and stop the feigned injury nonsense," Sankey wrote.
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