“Something must be done”: NCAA gears up to take measures to stop teams from faking injuries

The NCAA is considering a new rule to curb fake injuries in college football. Under the proposal, any injured player would have to sit out for the entire drive, with a possible exception for quarterbacks.

This "green dot exception" would apply to quarterbacks and one defensive player who have coach-to-player helmet communication. If cleared, they could return after just one play instead of missing the full drive.

Steve Shaw, the NCAA’s national coordinator of officials and rules editor, emphasized the urgency of the issue.

“There’s a push by the stakeholders in the game saying, on feigning injuries, something must be done,” Shaw told The Athletic. “We can’t kick the can down the road once again.”

Craig Bohl, AFCA executive director and former Wyoming coach, believes the exception would make the rule more acceptable. He pointed out that rotational players, not quarterbacks, are usually the ones faking injuries.

“The green dot exception provides a relief from that and makes the rule more palatable,” Bohl said. “Because the guys abusing this rule and going down are rotational players, not the quarterback.”

With growing pressure from coaches and officials, the NCAA Rules Committee appears ready to act.

---

Lane Kiffin has been a vocal advocate for stricter penalties

Mississippi Rebels quarterback Matt Corral (2) watches from the sidelines - Source: Imagn

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin has been a vocal advocate for stricter penalties. He argues that tempo offenses like his suffer the most from fake injuries and have pushed for changes for years.

“I’m glad,” Kiffin said [H/t On3]. “I know some people say, okay, that sounds weird coming from me. We’re a tempo offense. I’ve been saying this for years, okay, that faking an injury hurts us more than anybody — us and Tennessee — probably more than anybody in America.”

During an SEC matchup against Kentucky earlier this season, broadcaster Sean McDonough called out an Ole Miss player for appearing to fake an injury. However, rules analyst Matt Austin clarified that no specific rule prohibited the tactic at the time.

If implemented, the new rule could reshape the in-game strategy and reduce stoppages caused by suspected fake injuries.

---