Lane Kiffin questions narrative regarding Oregon’s rules loophole

Jan 1, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin reacts during warm ups before the 2022 Sugar Bowl against the Baylor Bears at the Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin thinks there is a double standard regarding how people are talking about Oregon exploiting a rules loophole compared with the comments about his own program.

Kiffin had some pointed remarks about the situation during the SEC teleconference on Wednesday, as he contrasted the reaction to Oregon’s intentional penalty in the late stages of its win against Ohio State with the accusations Ole Miss hears about faking injuries. In Kiffin’s mind, Oregon was viewed as clever and inventive for what they did, while the Rebels are criticized for something he sees as a similar exploit.

“It’s interesting, though, I find that all this national talk about someone faking an injury, and people shouldn’t do that,” Kiffin said, via Mark Heim of AL.com. “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 (up in arms) when faking an injury. So just found it interesting.”

Kiffin’s point is pretty clear. Oregon exploited a rules loophole by putting an extra defender on the field in a crucial play against Ohio State, knowing that the move would draw a manageable flag while also draining time from the clock and preventing a big play. Many media figures lauded them for their cleverness, and it actually forced the NCAA to close the loophole almost immediately.

Ole Miss, meanwhile, has been accused of faking injuries to slow down games. The accusations are so frequent that the school had to issue a statement about them recently, and there have been calls for a new rule to address that issue as well.