Ole Miss releases statement on alleged fake injuries, promises to 'conduct ourselves properly'

College football has seen an uptick in teams feigning injuries this season to gain unfair extra time or create artificial pauses in games. Ole Miss has been heavily criticized by fans for participating in this trend and, on Friday, the program addressed these allegations.

“Feigned injuries has become a notable topic in college football, and we realize our program has been part of that discussion,” the statement read. “We have been in communication with the National Coordinator for Football Officiating and provided relevant medical information for his review to answer questions about recent injuries.

“We have also updated the SEC office, and our head coach will communicate with our coaches and players to ensure we conduct ourselves properly and are compliant in this matter.”

Ole Miss began to appear more prominently in discussions surrounding fake injuries following its 20-17 loss to Kentucky in Week 5. In the loss, Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart appeared to tell running back Matt Jones something and Jones immediately fell to the ground.

Worse, critics point to the fact that many of Ole Miss’ claimed injuries occur after an opposing team gets a first down. South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer didn’t hesitate to tear into Ole Miss about this trend after the Gamecocks’ 27-3 loss to the Rebels on Saturday.

“It’s remarkable, to me, how many, maybe it’s something … and listen, I’ve got my own problems; we just got our butts kicked 27-3. But it’s fascinating to me, how many injuries occur for them after the opposing offense makes a first down,” Beamer said. “Or has a big play.”

While Ole Miss has become one of the most popular programs in the “faking injuries” conversation, head coach Lane Kiffin attempted to have the NCAA make a rule change to address the concerning pattern in 2021.

“You’re not going to stop (fake injuries) until you say a guy has to stay out for so many plays,” Kiffin said at the time. “Like anything, there has got to be a penalty for it.

“Really, if you want to change it, let the conference review it, look at the film, and when they deem it to be an obvious faking of an injury, then there’s a penalty, a fine, and I promise you it would never happen anywhere.”

The NCAA ultimately decided not to add any rules to address feigned injuries and they have only become a larger problem across the sport. Now, Kiffin and Co. are being forced to respond to accusations for the very issue he criticized only three years ago.