In recent years, fake injuries have become a major topic in college football, particularly as Tennessee’s high-speed, explosive offense has proven difficult to stop. To counter this, opposing teams have allegedly instructed players to go down with fake injuries after the ball is set, triggering injury timeouts and disrupting the Vols’ momentum.
However, a new NCAA rule aims to put an end to this tactic. Now, if medical staff come onto the field to assess an injured player after the ball has been spotted, the player’s team will be charged a timeout. If the team has no timeouts remaining, they’ll receive a five-yard delay of game penalty.
This rule change stems from a recommendation by the NCAA Football Rules Committee, following widespread concerns about the growing trend of players faking injuries to halt fast-paced offenses or preserve timeouts.
The hope is that this new regulation will largely eliminate the conveniently timed injuries that tend to occur just as Tennessee’s offense is lining up to snap the ball, catching defenses off guard. It remains to be seen whether teams will find new ways to manipulate the system or if high-tempo offenses like Tennessee’s will finally be able to operate without interruption.
Be the first to comment