“Everybody’s [upset] when faking an injury”: Lane Kiffin calls out hypocrisy over fake injuries amid the Oregon-Ohio State debacle
Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin isn't holding back on the hypocrisy he sees surrounding fake injuries in football, especially after Oregon's recent penalty against Ohio State. The Ducks intentionally took a 12-man penalty in the final moments of their 32-31 win to control the clock—a move praised by many, including coach Dan Lanning, who admitted it was planned.
The Oregon coach said Monday night:
“We spend an inordinate amount of time on situations and some situations don't come up very often in college football, but this was obviously something we had worked on. You can see the result.”
Kiffin shared his thoughts about the issue during an SEC teleconference.
“Heard Lanning talk about how much they practice situations,” Kiffin said. “So, he capitalized on the situation.”
According to On3, when asked if Ole Miss practices similar scenarios, Kiffin said:
“We have a scenario where that pops up. It’s interesting, though, I find that all this national talk about someone faking an injury, and people shouldn’t do that. I’m not saying I don’t agree with.
“But I just found it interesting that everybody thinks this is awesome that you went against the rules and put more people on the field but then everybody’s [upset] when faking an injury. So just found it interesting.”
Ole Miss has faced its own criticism for faking injuries, most notably during a game against Kentucky. The backlash grew enough that the program issued a statement, acknowledging the controversy and stating it had provided medical information to officials for review.
Meanwhile, the NCAA is reportedly looking into closing the loophole Oregon exploited at the end of its game against OSU.
Lane Kiffin sees fans' upset as a positive sign
At Monday’s press conference, Lane Kiffin shared his thoughts on the growing expectations from fans, which he sees as a positive sign. He credited the team’s hard work for raising the bar.
The then-No. 13-ranked LSU’s thrilling 29-26 overtime victory over No. 9 Ole Miss on Saturday set the stage for a memorable news conference. The dramatic finish, followed by fans storming the field, highlighted the intense atmosphere.
Twenty minutes after the press conference ended, Kiffin returned to add one more thought.
"I'm glad that our fans are upset," he said. "I'm glad our fans feel like us. I'm glad that we've created a new expectation that we're supposed to go into LSU and win."
Lane Kiffin and company have a 5-2 overall record (1-2 in the SEC). The No. 18 Rebels will use their upcoming open week to regroup before hosting Oklahoma on Oct. 26. The game, set for 12 p.m. ET/11 a.m. CT, will be broadcast on ABC or ESPN.
Also Read: What does Lane Kiffin's Ole Miss really need to secure a place in 12-team playoffs