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Greg Sankey sends memo regarding ‘feigned injuries’ to SEC programs, outlines stiff penalties
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Greg Sankey sent a memo to SEC athletic departments this week mandating that teams stop “feigning injuries” in order to create additional timeouts.
This has long been a strategy used at times by college football programs, but it’s been a bigger part of the conversation in 2024 — particularly in the SEC. Several of the league’s programs have been called out by opposing coaches and game broadcasters for faking injuries in order to disrupt the rhythm of an opposing offense.
Sankey shared some insight into how he will determine if a feigned injury has occurred. Here’s an excerpt from his memo, obtained by Yahoo!’s Ross Dellenger:
“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 later said feigning injuries is “disrespectful to the game of college football.”
As for punishments for any programs found to be in violation of this rule, Sankey’s memo indicates they will be significant.
A first offense will result in a public reprimand and a $50,000 fine for the school’s head coach. A second offense will result in a $100,000 fine and another public reprimand. On the third offense, the program’s head coach will be suspended for the team’s next game.
Student-athletes and other assistant coaches found to be involved in the feigned injury could also be subject to punishment from the league, per the memo.
Here’s the full memo, courtesy of Dellenger:
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.
"Play football & stop the feigned injury nonsense," he writes. pic.twitter.com/1ShgBeve9V
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) November 1, 2024
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
