Vanderbilt HC Clark Lea Calls For Action On Faking Injuries In CFB: 'OutKick: Hot Mic'
Vanderbilt’s football team showed some serious grit this season, with head coach Clark Lea leading the charge.
Lea joined OutKick Hot Mic's Jonathan Hutton and Chad Withrow on Wednesday to hit several topics in college football — one of them being the ‘crisis’ of players faking injuries during live action.
Lea, who led Vandy to a 7-6 record (3-5 SEC), kept it straight with Hutton and Withrow, saying it's a real issue that requires corrective action.
The Vandy coach wants to see players compete at the highest level, and faking injuries for benefit gets in the way of the game's integrity.
"I laugh because it's just you know ... I've never been a part of that," Lea said.
WATCH WEDNESDAY'S CLIP:
Clark Lea - Faking Injuries Needs To Be Addressed In CFB | Hot Mic With Hutton And Withrow
Lea, who oversaw a wild season for the Commodores after bringing in quarterback Diego Pavia, made a convincing statement regarding the lack of respect that faking injuries brings to the college game.
"From what I've seen, it just looks like there are times when it's egregious. From my vantage point and this is just how I feel ... it's almost like you feel like you compromise the integrity of the player when you ask them to do that.
"You know, these guys are great competitors and to be a great competitor, when you're standing on your own two feet, you're fighting. That, to me, is what it's about. And anything that we do that compromises their ability to stand on their own two feet and fight, I think, again, undermines the sanctity of the game and the competitive spirit of the game. It needs to be addressed.
"I think it's being addressed. I think we're going to see it become eliminated as people are held accountable to it."
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Head coach Clark Lea of the Vanderbilt Commodores lifts the Birmingham Bowl Championship Trophy after a win over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Birmingham Bowl at Protective Stadium on December 27, 2024. (Photo by Brandon Sumrall/Getty Images)
Watch OutKick Hot Mic w/ Hutton & Withrow live from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela
Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com