SEC Commisioner Greg Sankey sends memo to coaches cracking down on fake injuries
By Zach Sweet
One of the most pressing issues in college football in 2024 has been the use of fake injuries as a tactic to stop the clock and disrupt opponents' momentum.
This has been a particular issue in the SEC, with nearly every team deploying the tactic at some point.
On Friday afternoon, a report leaked revealing a memo from Commissioner Greg Sankey, addressed to every coach and program in the SEC. The memo states that if a team is caught using the fake injury tactic, it will face a significant penalty.
Greg Sankey sent a memo to SEC coaches & ADs ordering them to stop directing players to feign injuries & instituting penalties that include, on a 3rd offense, a coach suspension, per a copy obtained by @YahooSports.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) November 1, 2024
"Play football & stop the feigned injury nonsense," he writes. pic.twitter.com/1ShgBeve9V
The play will be reviewed by the National Coordinator, and if it is established that a feigned injury occurred, the following procedures will be enforced.
For the team’s first feigned injury, the coach will receive a public reprimand and a $50,000 fine. A second offense will result in a $100,000 fine, and a third will lead to the head coach's suspension.
The SEC is clearly serious about enforcing this rule and aims to eliminate feigned injuries from the game entirely.
It’s likely other conferences will adopt similar protocols in the coming weeks, as this issue extends beyond the SEC.
It will be interesting to see if this effort succeeds and whether anyone will dare to fake an injury in the future.
feed