Faking Injuries Still a Thing: Sam Pittman's Not a Doctor, but Still ...

After Ole Miss had several players suffer temporary injuries without warning and recover fast, a rules adjustment needed

When neither defense could seem to slow down the other in Oxford on Saturday, Ole Miss may have employed the latest trend.

Several players were either struck by cramps or some sort of injury that took a few seconds to be realized. Most of the time after looking to the sideline.

"They came back, though," Sam Pittman said at his Monday press conference. "They were healthy enough to get back in there."

The problem, though, is there's nothing in the rules against that. Even Gus Malzahn (of all people) employed it against Bret Bielema in 2013.

Arkansas' Defense Faces Another Mobile Quarterback This Week

Arkansas tried it in 2013 when McTelvin Agim laid down while Auburn was on offense. They nearly ran over him, but he recovered in time to get up and jog behind the play.

There's not really any recourse when it happens, either. You can't even submit the video.

"No, you can't," Pittman said when asked if he was sending it to the NCAA. "The rule has to change. Right now there's no penalty."

Purists don't like it. The move serves the purpose of slowing down teams that like to run plays like a machine gun. It works.

Pittman took the high road.

"I'm not saying the guys were not hurt," he said. "They may have been hurt. I'm not a medical doctor. There were a lot of them cramped up ... or whatever happened to them."

If there is a change it's going to have to come from new rules.

"(The rules committee) waits every two years to do it," he said. "That's the first time that many injuries have happened in a game this year."

With offensive coordinator Kendal Briles' reputation for fast-paced offenses it happens with the Razorbacks.

"Last year it happened to us a few times," Pittman said. "We'll address that. I'm not saying they were hurt or not hurt ... but there were a bunch of 'em."

What Sam Pittman Kiddingly "Taught" KJ Jefferson That Produced a Score

How a rule can be made to stop it should be interesting.

But don't waste the breath complaining about it because there's not a thing anybody can call about it.

It is what it is.

---

Want to join in on the discussion? Click here to become a member of the allHOGS message board community today!

Follow allHOGS on Twitter and Facebook.