**SEC Commissioner Cracks Down on Fake Injuries in College Football**

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey has issued a stern warning to league athletic directors and head football coaches about the ongoing issue of players faking injuries to create time-outs during games. In a memo that was distributed on Friday, Sankey emphasized the need to curtail such practices immediately.

Sankey’s memo, which ESPN obtained a copy of, firmly states, "Stop any and all activity related to faking injuries to create time-outs." He further urged teams to "play football and stop the feigned injury nonsense," highlighting the severity of the situation. The commissioner’s message comes amid growing accusations over the past few years that teams are deliberately disrupting the rhythm and flow of opposing offenses, particularly those that employ uptempo strategies and rarely huddle.

Broadcasters this season have pointed out several obvious instances where players pretended to be injured, often collapsing near the sideline just as the opposing offense was about to snap the ball. Such incidents must now be reported to the SEC for review. Steve Shaw, the national coordinator of football officiating, will be responsible for deciding whether a fake injury has occurred. The guidelines for determining fake injuries are comprehensive, ranging from clear feigns to probable attempts.

Sankey described the act of creating injury timeouts as "not acceptable and disrespectful to the game of football." Significant penalties will be enforced for teams found guilty of feigning injuries. A head coach’s first offense will result in a public reprimand and a $50,000 fine, the second offense will lead to another reprimand and a $100,000 fine, and a third offense will lead to suspension for the coach, along with yet another reprimand.

Similar penalties will apply to any staff members involved in directing or signaling players to fake injuries. A player found guilty of such actions could also face a public reprimand, making it clear the SEC is serious about addressing this issue.

Speaking to reporters at the Oklahoma-Texas game a few weeks ago, Sankey expressed his concerns about the increasing number of accusations. "If somebody's injured, we need to take that seriously," he said. "But creating the questions -- and I mean this all across the country -- needs to stop."

With these new measures, the SEC aims to preserve the integrity of college football and ensure that the spirit of the game is upheld.