Asked for comment, representatives of the Gumps, UcheaT and Texas said, "We don't follow NCAA rules . . . so whatever they do won't affect us." (Just kidding). LOL! * * * * * A proposed rule change intended to discourage players from faking injuries that prompt unwarranted timeouts will be considered when the NCAA Football Rules Committee meets this month. Feigning injuries, sometimes at the coach's instruction, has become a tactic defenses use to slow down tempo offenses or as a way for an offense to avoid a delay of game penalty or get an extra timeout. NCAA to consider proposal to curb fake injuries
In the milquetoast world of 2025, does anyone think this leads to anything significant? Can you imagine the blowback if an "injured" player is rushed off the field, or worse back on, and things go south? Does the name J.R. Richard ring a bell?
It’s not really about rushing them off the field or back on. If they’re injured to the point that they need to stop play, then make them sit the rest of the series. You don’t get to fall down right before the snap, stop the clock, then come back in the next play. It’s like driving with your hazards on. If your car is so f’d up you need your hazards on, gtf off the road.
I've been for this for a long time. I also like the caveats to use a timeout if a coach wants his player back in bad enough. My reality is if a player is hurt enough to lie down for medical help, it should be obvious he needs to sit out that possession at least. Sometimes that might only be a few plays and others more. Its not like we are talking a whole quarter of the game here. More importantly it gives the trainers more time to check over the said injury and not make a rushed decision. If a player is only following the coaches demands to fake an injury then they should be held accountable and lose that player for the possession. That's on them. The flip side if a player has an arm injury and can make it off the field that's better for the flow of the game but the player can still take a knee if more severe. Any player is always given his own decision to seek medical help.
Question: Is there evidence or suspicion staffs encourage players to fake an injury in order to assist their sideline or more that players are doing this instinctively having the wherewithal to assist their sideline?
The article indicates that Steve Shaw believes it is enough of the former that more ethical coaches that don't do it will be forced to in order to stay competitive if the less ethical coaches aren't checked from doing it. I've long felt that a player needing medical attention "on the field" should be forced to miss the remainder of that possession regardless if they were really hurt or not.
Such an odd and weird thing to say. Did you bother to read the article ? I say you didn't. The proposal has carveouts. A coach can use a charged timeout to get the player back on the field during the current possession. A player injured by a hit that results in a penalty would be exempt.
Help me understand what I read. Can someone define the term "medical attention"? And an on field official will interpret what that means? Just like they've interpreted what targeting is? There's almost zero chance this leads to a significant rule change. I guess we'll agree to disagree on this.
Would be pretty easy to keep it simple. If play is stopped because you were injured, real injury or fake injury, you’re out for the rest of that series. One play, ten plays doesn’t matter, you’re out for that series. No need for it to be subjective. The powers that be actually doing something that makes sense and making a rule that can be easily enforced without subjectivity, I agree that’s probably wishful thinking.
Have you not noticed trainers running onto the field while watching college football? Are you sure you're a fan? Stoppages in play occur all the time, when the clock is stopped to assist an injured player off the field....it seems pretty cut and dried to me: The clock is stopped by the officials for an injury until the player leaves the field. What is there to interpret? I guess this is just a proposal at this point so it may not lead to a rule change, but if it is adopted, I think it will be significant in stopping the practice of fake injuries to slow down offenses.
So the trainer is giving medical attention? That would mean the current injury rule applies. One play missed, versus the rest of that offensive series, i.e. new rule. Impossible to apply with certainty. A big change that'll likely never be enacted. At least that's my opinion. And since you asked. Gator season ticket holder since 1990, Jaguar season ticket holder since 1995, having missed less than ten Gator and Jag home games combined during that time. Plus more games on TV than I'd even guess at.
What would be impossible to apply? You don’t need to discern fake or real. You stop play, you’re out. Simple.
I don't think the rules have to bend over backwards to help tempo teams. What is or isn't a major injury isn't even apparent to the player. If there is too much tinkering with this to help the tempo teams, then there should be more 30 second timeouts added to allow defenses to get players back on the field.
I've said this for a while- if the clock has to stop to get a player off the field then that player needs to miss the rest of the possession- not just 1 play which is the rule today. As far as do the coaches encourage this? YES- all the time. Even the Gators have done this. I think it was Elam in the Orange Bowl vs UVA who suddenly and mysteriously fainted and remained on the ground for 4-5 minutes. Then was back on the field after 1 or 2 missed plays. It was clear we needed to re-group our D on that drive. (Which we did- it worked!) There's really no downside to this rule- there's less cheating, there will be fewer game breaks, and player safety is improved. It's just common sense...
There’s no consequence for doing it. It happens against us all the time, might as well do it ourselves. Fixing the rule should minimize how often it happens.
