Greg Sankey threatens punishment for teams faking injuries going forward

If your team wants to fake an injury to stop the clock at a crucial time of the game, they better think again because it could cost them. Faking injuries has always been a part of the game of football, even though no one likes it, but this season, it has truly become a bigger part of the game than anyone wants, especially SEC commissioner Greg Sankey.

Sankey sent a memo to every SEC coach and AD directing them to stop telling players to fake injuries during the game, and if they do, there will now be consequences. The first two offenses will result in a fine, but the third offense will result in a coach suspension.

Sankey put it very blunting at the beginning of his memo.

"As plainly as it can be stated: Stop any and all activity related to faking injuries to create time-outs"

- Greg Sankey

The SEC Commissioner is fed up with it, and he is trying his best to put a stop to it. Now, some may ask how they will determine if it is a real injury or a fake injury, and Sankey stated in his memo that the National Coordinator for Football Officiating will be assigned to determine if a feigned injury has occurred.

Sankey outlined the punishments for coaches who choose to continue to direct their players to fake injuries. The first offense will result in a public reprimand and a $50,000 fine; a second offense will result in a public reprimand and a $100,000, and the third offense will result in yet another public reprimand, but this time it will also result in a coach suspension in the following game. If it is suspected that another coach was involved in the direction, they would also receive a suspension.

Student-athletes can also be cited for faking injuries, but they would result more in public reprimands rather than fines.

South Carolina's head coach Shane Beamer was one of the first to point out teams faking injuries after the Gamecocks lost to Ole Miss. Beamer pointed out how injuries seemed to happen conveniently for the Rebels when they had double-digit amounts of stoppages with defensive injuries. Beamer never came out and accused Lane Kiffin of his team faking injuries, but it was definitely implied.