Sankey: Injury report unavoidable SEC leader expects schools to release player info after sports gambling ruling
ATLANTA – Southeastern Conference Commissioner believes legalized sports gambling could lead to the creation of a nationwide college football injury report, but he doesn’t see the move coming in time for the 2018 season.
A star athlete’s ability to compete can impact the projected winner of a game, putting pressure on athletes and support staff to potentially give or sell that information if it’s not automatically publicly released.
Sankey said the Supreme Court decision that allowed states to legalize sports gambling has pushed the issue to the forefront, but there are several challenges conferences and schools face disclosing information. He noted the Family Educational Rights Privacy Act and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act mandate protecting student and patient privacy.
“It’s clear that the nature of any so-called injury report around college sports will have very different dynamics than are present at the professional level,” Sankey said.
Academic suspensions, school-imposed suspensions and NCAA eligibility issues also were concerns, prompting Sankey to suggest considering player availability reports that would cover all categories rather than limiting it to injuries.
The Big Ten is reportedly urging the NCAA Football Committee to draft legislation making injury reports mandatory nationwide. The ACC releases weekly injury reports.
Most conferences let each school decide how to handle releasing injury news. The schools that do release health information get signed waivers from all players.
“I expect, however, the change in sports gambling could be and will be likely the impetus for the creation of such reports in our future,” Sankey said. “Identifying the proper approach should be the priority, not haste.
“I do not believe this has to happen before the 2018 season, either on the part of this conference or the national level.”
Scheduling is an issue that always seems to gain traction during SEC Media Days, with some questioning whether the league would ever consider a nine-game conference schedule comparable to those used by the Big 12, Big Ten and Pac-12.
The SEC currently uses a 6-1-1 model instituted in 2014. After the addition of Texas A&M and Missouri, each SEC team plays six games within its own division, one game against a permanently designated opponent from the other division and an additional game against an opponent from the other division that rotates on an annual basis.
Sankey said while the league regularly reviews every possible scenario, it’s hard to argue with the results, noting a team from the SEC has played in 11 of the last 12 national championship games, including last season’s matchup that featured Alabama and Georgia.
“Our success as a league should not be attributed simply to our scheduling philosophy, but year after year, our best teams have produced the best team in the country. The facts candidly speak for themselves,” he said.
“I do not presently anticipate any major change in our approach, but I do anticipate healthy and continued dialogue both now and in the future among our leadership.” Kentucky coach
knew the question was coming yet again at SEC Media Days.
This time, he had an answer.
Stoops long has downplayed the decades-long losing streak to the Florida Gators. On Monday, Stoops addressed what he called “the elephant in the room” — Kentucky’s nation-leading 31-game losing streak to the Gators.
“My answer, first three or four years, I really wasn’t concerned about it,” Stoops said. “I’m trying to build a culture at Kentucky and win games and get in position, but you do hear it. You can’t hide from the elephant in the room. It’s been a long time.
“We need to beat Florida, but we need to beat a lot of teams on our schedule.”
Kentucky has made marked progress during Stoops’ five seasons in Lexington.
The Wildcats have posted consecutive seven-win seasons to reach the postseason and continue to recruit solidly in the ultra-competitive SEC.
Kentucky has come close to ending its futility against Florida, losing in 36-30 triple-overtime in 2014 in Gainesville and 28-27 during the final minute last season at home.
The two schools are scheduled to meet Sept. 8 in the Swamp. Kentucky’s last visit to the Swamp ended in a 45-7 beat-down in 2016.
The Wildcats are eager for another chance for their first win in the series since 1986.
“Having them in Week 2, we’re excited,” senior tight end said. “No one wants to lose to the same team 30 years in a row.
“It’s something we’re thinking about and super excited about,” he added. “That’s motivated us all summer no doubt about it.”
In a career where job security can change at the drop of a hat, Stoops quietly finds himself as one of the longesttenured coaches in the SEC after nearly half of the league’s teams went through offseason coaching changes.
“I think that made my heart drop,” Stoops said when asked of the tremendous amount of turnover in the offseason. “I’ve only been here six years and to have that kind of turnover, obviously, the way it is right now, it’s the sign of the times.
“There are some very good football coaches that have come and gone through this league, and there are a lot of good ones in here. But I think it just speaks to the league, and, believe me, the 14 schools, there’s not one school in here that wants to take a step back.”
who is entering his 12th season at the helm at Alabama, is the league’s longest-tenured coach, followed by Stoops and Auburn’s with six seasons.