KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Coaches and athletic directors at schools in the Southeastern Conference received a scathing warning from a commissioner — stop feigning injuries for time-outs, or risk suspension.
The University of Tennessee confirmed Friday that Greg Sankey, an SEC commissioner, sent the message. It begins bluntly, "As plainly as it can be stated: Stop any and all activity related to faking injuries to create time-outs."
It said a national coordinator is responsible for evaluating video if there are concerns that a student-athlete faked an injury. The message said previously that the coordinator's decision relies on the "probability that an attempt was made to feign an injury."
Sankey said moving forward, the SEC would consider a student-athlete to have faked an injury if the coordinator decides that it is "more likely than not that a feigned injury occurred, that a player attempted to feign an injury, or any other general statement from the National Coordinator establishing the probability that a feigned injury has occurred."
The message said timely medical information that shows a player actually suffered an injury and caused a time-out can prevent violations.
"Your team should be prepared to compete fairly under the rules of the game," the message said.
Sankey said since 2022, teams have had to submit videos to the coordinator if there are concerns about fake injuries. But in some cases, teams declined to request the coordinator to review possible injuries. The message said the SEC would take over the responsibility of sending videos to be reviewed by the coordinator.
"However, there is no expectation the SEC office will review every play that may raise questions about a feigned injury," the message said.
Sankey's message also outlined penalties that teams and coaches could face for repeatedly faking injuries. On the first offense, head coaches will be publically reprimanded and the team will be fined $50,000. On the second offense, coaches will again be reprimanded and the team will face a $100,000 fine.
The third violation could result in coaches and any other involved staff members being suspended — as long as it is also the staff member's third time being involved in a feigned injury. Student-athletes could also be cited for feigned injuries, as well as be publically reprimanded.
"All instructions, signals or plans that may exist to create feigned injuries are to be discontinued immediately. As of this date, it is presumed that every member of your football program — coaches, staff, student-athletes, and all others — is aware of and understands this policy," the message said. "Play football and stop the feigned injury nonsense."