Number 7: Terrence Mitchell's end-around touchdown run
Sorry for the delay in posting, everybody, but apparently Blogger hates us and deleted my whole post that I wrote Saturday. Anyway, I'm back with the seventh best moment of the 2010 football season, and it's T-Rex's 45-yard end-around touchdown against Pittsburgh.
Pitt came to town for a match up that would determine who would remain in contention for the Big East race and who would be doing no more than playing spoiler for the rest of the season. As Bulls fans had grown to expect, the offense had been rather dull that day, and the defense was keeping USF alive. Going into the half, the Bulls had allowed a scant three points to Pitt. The outlook was good, except for the fact that they had only mustered a field goal for themselves too.
Out of the half, Ray Graham racked up over 50 yards on the way to the first touchdown of the game, giving Pitt a 10-3 lead. USF needed a spark to get themselves and crowd back into the game.
A run for a negative one yard loss and a weak 3-yard pass to fullback Richard Kelly had the Bulls facing another long 3rd down as they tried to get something going. Daniels threw another long pass that fell incomplete. Fortunately for USF, pass interference was called on the Pitt defensive backs, giving them another chance to salvage this drive.
Skip Holtz waited a few plays, but then proceeded to reach into his bag of tricks. He called punt returner Terrence Mitchell's number to get on the field and line up at receiver opposite Dontavia Bogan. Daniels received the snap and began rolling out to his right before pitching it back to Mitchell on the reverse. Mitchell wasted no time and immediately turned the ball up field, losing a few defenders in his path to the end zone. The play was just what USF needed. Fans were on their feet and screaming in excitement, and hope was restored that this season could still shape up to be a meaningful one. It was a refreshing emergence from Holtz's traditional ground-and-pound offensive strategy. Ultimately, however, Pitt outmuscled USF and effectively ended the Bulls' three-game winning streak and any hope of a BCS game this season.
Too bad Skip doesn't call plays like this more often, but then again that would make it all the less effective.
ReplyDeleteI agree that we need more trick plays in our arsenal, but as a Jets fan I've grown pretty partial to seeing the ground-and-pound kind of offense.
ReplyDeleteRemember that Trick play with Evan Landi vs Clemson? The only way that could have been more awesome was if it had been a completion.. haha.
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