Steve Sarkisian has a straightforward suggestion for ensuring honesty in college football injury reporting: implement fines for coaches who fail to accurately report player injuries.
As the popularity of legalized sports betting continues to grow, particularly in states where gambling is now legal, the SEC is exploring the introduction of “availability reports” to improve transparency regarding player injuries.
During the league’s spring meetings, Sarkisian emphasized the need for accountability in injury reporting, drawing parallels to the NFL’s system. “Fine us. That’s what they do in the NFL. I’m a big believer in this,” Sarkisian stated. “The NFL has figured a lot of this stuff out already; they’ve lived through these challenges. We don’t have to reinvent the wheel. If I try to game the system and don’t report a guy, fine us. We all appreciate the money we make. That’s a simple way for us to adhere to the rules.”
Currently, the SEC does not mandate injury reporting among its football programs as the NFL does. However, the concept of availability reports is under serious consideration, and their implementation seems likely. Sarkisian believes that instituting fines as a deterrent will ensure compliance when these reports become mandatory.
As the SEC moves closer to potentially adopting these measures, Sarkisian’s suggestion offers a practical approach to maintaining integrity in injury reporting, aligning college football more closely with professional standards.
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