SEC Enforces New Punishments for Faking Injuries

The South Eastern Conference (SEC) commissioner, Greg Sankey, informed the league's athletic directors this week that athletes and coaches who "fake injuries" may face punishment, including suspensions and fines for repeat violations.

In a memo sent to all SEC athletic directors, Greg Sankey states, "As plainly as it can be stated: Stop any and all activity related to faking injuries to create time-outs." There have been numerous instances in the SEC this year of players faking injuries to slow down the offense's tempo, giving their defense a chance to substitute or catch a breath, allowing the coach to make the correct play call.

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The SEC Commissioner made it clear in his memo: "When defending against a hurry-up offense, you are to use the allocated team time-outs if you need to stop play, or you may allow the play to continue with the personnel and defensive play call in place." Sankey went on to say: "Creating injury time-outs in these circumstances is not acceptable and is disrespectful to the game of college football."

Sankey outlined the conference's penalty measures in a memo issued to SEC ADs, with Cobb noting that "head coaches will receive a public reprimand and a $50,000 fine on the first offense." A second infraction will result in another reprimand and a $100,000 fine. On the third offense, the offending team's coach will be suspended for the next school game."

According to the memo Sankey sent out this week, the National Coordinator for Football Officiating Steve Shaw will assess if the injuries are phony or real after the game's post-game review.

Sankey's memo states: "A feigned injury will be found to have occurred unless the National Coordinator accepts clear medical information establishing the player had to disrupt the game for an injury time-out and modifies the feigned injury finding in a timely manner."

Sankey closed his message by instructing each AD to review this material with their staff to ensure that all players and personnel understand the "expectations," with the Commissioner of the SEC adding, "Play football and stop the feigned injury nonsense."