In a stunning move, the SEC is taking a hard-line stance against the growing trend of college football players faking injuries to slow down uptempo offenses. Commissioner Greg Sankey sent a sternly worded memo to league athletic directors and coaches Friday, outlining severe punishments for those caught engaging in this “nonsense.”
“Stop the Feigned Injury Nonsense”
Sankey didn’t mince words in his directive, obtained by ESPN. “As plainly as it can be stated: Stop any and all activity related to faking injuries to create time-outs,” he wrote bluntly. The memo concluded with an emphatic plea: “Play football and stop the feigned injury nonsense.”
The practice of players suddenly dropping to the turf, seemingly injured, just as the opposing offense is about to snap the ball has become increasingly prevalent in recent years. Coaches of uptempo, no-huddle attacks have long accused defenses of using this tactic to disrupt their rhythm and momentum.
Obvious Flopping Catches Commentators’ Eyes
While it’s difficult to definitively prove a player is faking, the farcical nature of some of these “injuries” has been impossible to ignore. Broadcasters frequently point out egregious examples of players dramatically flopping near the sideline, only to quickly pop up and jog off the field after successfully stopping play.
They’ll suddenly just crumple to the ground like they’ve been shot. It’s so obvious what they’re doing, it’s almost comical. Except it’s not funny – it’s a mockery of the game.
An SEC head coach, speaking on condition of anonymity
Steep Fines, Suspensions for Offenders
Sankey’s memo outlines a strict protocol for investigating potential fake injuries and harsh penalties for those found guilty. Each suspect play will be reviewed by Steve Shaw, the national coordinator of football officiating, to assess the likelihood of a “feigned injury.”
The punishments are severe:
- 1st offense: Head coach receives public reprimand, $50,000 fine
- 2nd offense: Another reprimand, $100,000 fine
- 3rd offense: Coach suspended for team’s next game
But it’s not just the head coach on the hook. Any staff member caught signaling a player to take a dive will face the same penalties, including suspensions. Even the feigning player may be publicly reprimanded.
Offense or Defense, Doesn’t Matter
Notably, the policy applies to both sides of the ball. While defensive fake injuries draw most of the accusations, Sankey stressed that drawing bogus injury timeouts on offense is equally unacceptable and “disrespectful to the game.”
The commissioner first publicly addressed the issue a few weeks ago, stating: “If somebody’s injured, we need to take that seriously. But creating the questions — and I mean this all across the country — needs to stop.”
Will Harsh Deterrents Finally Keep Players Upright?
Many coaches and administrators are applauding the SEC’s aggressive action, hoping it provides a much-needed deterrent. “It’s become such an epidemic, something had to be done,” said one long-time athletic director. “Hopefully these penalties have enough teeth to finally curb this practice.”
Others remain skeptical that even suspensions and six-figure fines will keep teams from trying to gain a competitive edge however they can. “It’s like holding in the NFL,” a Power 5 defensive coordinator told us. “You do it until you get caught, take the penalty, then do it again if you need to.”
Regardless, the SEC has thrown down the gauntlet. “Feigning injuries to gain an advantage is an unethical practice that has no place in college football,” Sankey told ESPN. Time will tell if the league’s get-tough strategy proves effective in ridding the game of this persistent issue.
