Getty Image
The Oklahoma Sooners had the difficult task of slowing down Tennessee’s high-powered, up-tempo offense on Saturday. Unfortunately, they weren’t completely up for it.
The Vols were able to wear the Sooners down, eventually leaving with a 25-15 win on the road. Kirk Herbstreit was heard blasting Oklahoma players during the broadcast.
While Brent Venables’ defensive unit held Tennessee well below its season scoring average, the fast tempo took a toll. It was seen almost immediately as OU’s defenders were spotted falling to the ground with cramping in between plays.
This was the scene in the first quarter after Nico Iamaleava connected with Bru McCoy for a 38-yard reception.
Kirk Herbstreit had some tough words for players faking injuries after it looked like Oklahoma did that against Tennessee.
“It drives me crazy…It’s not necessarily against the rules but it’s unethical as hell.” pic.twitter.com/TSZ0onC4ug
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 22, 2024
The play put the Vols in the redzone where they’d eventually kick a field goal.
Before Tennessee could line up for a follow-up play, an Oklahoma defender appeared to cramp up. It led to a reaction in the booth from Kirk Herbstreit.
“This is college football. It drives me crazy. Right after a big play, all of a sudden, he looks over and he just goes down. It’s not necessarily against the rules, but it’s unethical as hell. You see it all over the place against these tempo offenses. Guys just go down with an ‘injury.’ It’s pathetic.”
It’s an issue that’s been top of mind over the years.
As Herbstreit notes, it’s not illegal, but it’s certainly frowned upon. Offensive coaches hate it as it slows momentum. Defensive players use it to catch a breath.
Lane Kiffin, one of those offensive-minded head coaches, offered his solution to the epidemic a few years back.
“You’re not going to stop it (faking injuries) until you say a guy has to stay out for so many plays. 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.”
That suggestion has fallen on deaf ears to this point as we continue to see the strategy being implemented to combat high-speed offenses. Until a change is made, defenses will continue to do it!