College football has had a growing problem in recent years with players faking injuries in an attempt to slow the pace of a game, and the NCAA has implemented a new rule to address that.
The NCAA announced on Wednesday that its Playing Rules Oversight Panel has approved changes to the injury timeout rules that will go into effect beginning next season. Under the new rules, a team will be charged a timeout if medical personnel enter the field of play to evaluate a player for an injury after the official has spotted the ball for the next offensive play.
If the team with the injured player does not have any timeouts remaining, a 5-yard penalty for delay of game will be assessed.
Nick Saban suggested last year that the NCAA should find a way to crack down on defensive players faking injuries to slow an offense. Saban acknowledged that the situation would be difficult to officiate.
With the rule stating that a timeout will be charged if medical personnel enter the field, officials will not have to make judgment calls regarding whether they believe a player is actually hurt.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey sent a memo to coaches and athletic directors last season ordering teams to stop having players fake injuries. Sankey threatened to suspend coaches for a game if their team was found to have instructed players to fake injuries on three separate occasions, though that penalty was never utilized.
One specific SEC school has been viewed as a major offender in having players fake injuries, but the new rule should put a stop to that.
