Former Alabama head coach and current College GameDay analyst Nick Saban is advocating for a significant rule change in college football aimed at stopping players from faking injuries. Saban, who is known for his meticulous approach to the game, is growing frustrated with what he sees as teams exploiting injury timeouts to slow down the pace of play and disrupt the flow of the game.
Saban is calling for the implementation of a “flop rule,” which would penalize teams when players fake injuries to gain a strategic advantage. Speaking about the issue, Saban emphasized how certain teams use this tactic to hinder fast-paced offenses, preventing substitutions and momentum shifts.
“If you get injured, stay down, stay down, don’t get up,” Saban explained, referencing how teams manipulate the current rules. “We can’t substitute fast enough. People are taking advantage of this rule. But I think until there’s some penalty for doing it, it’s going to continue. I know it’s a very sensitive subject for an official to make a determination about whether a player is injured or not, but there should be a flop rule.”
Saban’s suggestion goes beyond just highlighting the problem—he’s proposing a concrete solution. According to Saban, if a player gets up, runs down the field, and then “flops” right before the play begins, that player’s team should be penalized by being charged a timeout.
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“If a guy actually gets up, runs down, and then right before the play starts, he flops, maybe it should be a charged timeout for that team,” Saban continued. “It’s pretty obvious in some of these situations where guys are flopping and they’re not actually injured.”
The issue of faking injuries has been a growing concern in college football, especially with the increasing use of high-tempo offenses. Some teams have been accused of using fake injuries to slow down fast-paced opponents, which can prevent substitutions and allow defensive players extra time to rest.
Saban’s proposal, if adopted, could be a game-changer for college football. A rule that penalizes teams for faking injuries could force coaches and players to be more honest about their health on the field, and it might also speed up the game by preventing unnecessary stoppages. However, as Saban acknowledged, the challenge lies in determining whether a player is truly injured or not, a decision that can be difficult for officials to make on the spot.
The NCAA has introduced various rule changes in recent years to improve the game, and it remains to be seen whether they will consider adding a “flop rule” to their regulations. As Saban continues to voice his concerns, it’s clear that he believes this change could help restore integrity and fairness to the sport he has long dominated as a coach.
For now, Saban’s comments are sparking discussions among fans, players, and coaches about how to best handle the issue of fake injuries in college football, and whether a penalty system, like the one he proposes, could be the solution.
