In recent years, fake injuries have become a hot topic in college football, especially as Tennessee’s high-speed, explosive offense has proven difficult to stop. To counter it, opposing teams have resorted to having players feign injuries after the ball is set, triggering injury timeouts and disrupting the Vols’ rhythm.
However, a new NCAA rule aims to crack down on this tactic. Now, if medical staff enter the field to check on an injured player after the ball is spotted, the team will be charged a timeout. If they have no timeouts left, 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 teams exploiting fake injuries to slow down fast-paced offenses without burning a timeout.
The hope is that this new rule will put an end to the conveniently timed “injuries” that seem to occur just as Tennessee is lining up or preparing to snap the ball. It’ll be worth watching whether teams look for new ways to disrupt high-tempo offenses or if programs like Tennessee can now play without that kind of interference.
