SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey Issues Warning to Teams Over Alleged Faking of Injuries

The ancient practice has fallen under the microscope this year.

Greg Sankey at the SEC's media days in 2024. / Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As anyone familiar with the history of college football knows, the largely unproven practice of feigning injuries goes back decades—to before conference realignment, before cable, and even before the widespread use of television.

However, it has come back into the spotlight in 2024. Oklahoma took flak from ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit in September for allegedly doing it against Tennessee, and Ole Miss's alleged use of the practice attracted so much speculation the Rebels felt compelled to issue a statement.

On Friday afternoon, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey issued a formal statement in which he outlined the penalties for faking injuries.

"As plainly as it can be stated: stop any and all activity related to faking injuries to create timeouts," Sankey wrote, via ESPN's Adam Rittenberg.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey today sent a memo to head coaches and athletic directors (obtained below) about feigning injuries in games and outlining the consequences if the practice continues. Memo ends with: “Play football and stop the feigned injury nonsense.” pic.twitter.com/3FqUCIBmkE

— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) November 1, 2024

The commissioner went on to details penalties for the practice, which ran all the way up to a one-game suspension—along with a public reprimand for any players involved.

"Play football and stop the feigned injury nonsense," Sankey's memo concluded.

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