Sources
Help build the largest human-edited directory on the web.
Submit a site - Become an editor
Wikipedia. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Are you an expert in this subject? Join the discussion and share your knowledge at Wikipedia.org.
Fumblerooski
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In American football, the fumblerooski is a trick play, most famously used by the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers against the University of Miami Hurricanes in the 1984 Orange Bowl and used again by Nebraska in 1992. It is no longer allowed in high school,[1] college, or the NFL. It was invented by Michael Williams the coach of the Super Bowl winning Packers in Super Bowl I, according to the December 8, 2006, edition of The New York Times.
In the Fumblerooski, the quarterback deliberately places the ball on the ground, technically fumbling it. The backs will run to the right, and the right guard will pick up the ball and run to the left.[2]
Contents |
In the 1984 Orange Bowl game, Nebraska trailed Miami at a score of 17-0 after the first half. Nebraska coach Tom Osborne called for the play, whereby Nebraska quarterback Turner Gill “fumbled” the snap from center by effectively setting it on the turf. The ball was picked up by All-American offensive guard Dean Steinkuhler, who ran the ball in for a touchdown. Nebraska ultimately lost the game 31-30 after a pass intended for tailback Jeff Smith was tipped by a Miami defender on a two-point conversion attempt after a last-second touchdown.
Miami fell prey to the fumblerooski in a national championship game a second time in 1988, this time by Oklahoma, when quarterback Charles Thompson left the ball for offensive guard Mark Hutson, who proceeded to run for a touchdown, although Oklahoma would eventually lose to Miami 20-14.
The last fumblerooski was run near the end of the 1992 season by Pacific on November 7th. The next to last fumblerooski was run in a 1992 victory by Nebraska over the University of Colorado. The ball was carried by offensive guard Will Shields.
Like the NFL in the 1960s, the NCAA banned the use of the fumblerooski after the 1992 season, making intentional fumbles illegal. In April 2006, the NFSHSA followed suit, banning intentional fumbles, according to the Los Angeles Times.
A new variation of the fumblerooski was run by the University of Arkansas Razorbacks on October 7, 2006: the then-unranked Razorbacks used the trick play in their upset of the #2 ranked Auburn Tigers.[3] The smallest Razorback player—5’7” Reggie Fish—hid behind the line, out of sight of the Auburn defense, and the center handed him the ball by a direct snap as the QB ran a fake play. This was the first time a play like this had appeared in major college football.
The University of Texas Longhorns tried the same play against Nebraska on October 21, 2006. It failed to score, however, when Husker linebacker Bo Ruud picked up on the trick play and subsequently tackled the runner. Texas went on to win the game 22-20 after a last-minute field goal.
The fumblerooski is featured as a play setting up the climax of the 1994 film Little Giants, when the center carries the ball for a touchdown (in the movie, referred to as the "Annexation of Puerto Rico").
On December 10th, 2006, the San Diego Chargers ran a successful fumblerooski variant, known as the Bumarooski, against the Denver Broncos that resulted in a 4-yard touchdown run for fullback Lorenzo Neal's first touchdown of the season. Wide receiver Vincent Jackson was lined up in the backfield with running back LaDainian Tomlinson. The ball was snapped to Philip Rivers who handed the ball to Neal between his legs. After the handoff, Rivers and Tomlinson both sprinted right, with Rivers faking a handoff to Jackson faking an end-around right. At the same time, Neal faked a block, and, with the defense still unaware that he had the ball, sprinted left for the touchdown. It should be noted that this was technically not a fumblerooski as the ball was not set on the ground; instead this was merely a trick handoff, and might be considered a variant of the Statue of Liberty play. The Bumarooski is named after former NFL head coach, Bum Phillips. Bum's son Wade was the defensive coordinator for the Chargers, he now is the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. [4]
The fumblerooski was used in the movie The Longest Yard (2005 film) to bring the prisoners within one point of the guards on the last play of the game (other than the two-point conversion).
It was also used in the movie The Little Giants. In the film, however, it was called "The Annexation of Puerto Rico."
- ^ "New rules eliminate scoring opportunity for guards", ESPN, 2006-04-13. Retrieved on January 9, 2007.
- ^ Easterbrook, Gregg. "Ravens good, Manning Bad", ESPN, 2006-12-11. Retrieved on December 11, 2006.
- ^ Mandel, Stewart. "Saturday Observations Part III", Sports Illustrated, 2006-10-07. Retrieved on October 7, 2006.
- ^ Wilson, Bernie. "Title time for Chargers’ Schottenheimer?", MSNBC, 2006-12-12. Retrieved on December 12, 2006.