On the Off Chance You Missed this...
On the off-chance you have not seen this 20-lateral play by Trinity, here it is:
In American Football, the other ten players without the ball are taught to go downfield and throw a block. However, if everyone does this, then a play like this becomes impossible, because no one is behind the ball carrier to receive a lateral. I played rugby for years, and the training there is different. You want to get behind the ball carrier diagonally to be ready to receive the ball. This is what you see here -- watch for it. Players are backpedaling to get in position. I don't know if any of these players had rugby training -- I do know that a number of the Cal players in "the play" were also rugby players.
Kim Scarborough:
I remember seeing a play like this maybe 20 years ago. Wish I could remember the game. It was a college game, but actually a top-division, like a Pac-10 or something. The clock had ran out and they kept lateraling until one of them scored a touchdown for the win, much like this... but the kicker was that the marching band thought the game was over while the play was still going on, and they went on to the field. The player who made the touchdown actually crashed into the trombone player.
October 31, 2007, 11:20 amLarry Sheldon:
You exaggerate--it appears that there were only 15 laterals.
And no tubas.
October 31, 2007, 11:21 amLarry Sheldon:
1982 -- Cal Stanford. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_VGBxfAdDM
October 31, 2007, 11:25 amKim Scarborough:
Aha, that's it. Thanks, Larry.
October 31, 2007, 11:28 amKim Scarborough:
Ah, and that was what you were talking about with "The Play". Argh, I wish I could delete my comment.
October 31, 2007, 11:30 amdearieme:
I suppose the beauty of your side suddenly deciding to play rugby is that your opponents haven't practised defending against it.
October 31, 2007, 1:15 pmsmcg:
Aah, how easily people forget the origin of American Football is:
Rugby - the game they play in heaven.
October 31, 2007, 1:19 pmKevin:
That really did look an awful lot like 7s. Which, from my perspective as an old tight five player, is sort-of like rugby ...
October 31, 2007, 2:57 pmPhil:
You need training to play rugby? ;-)
November 1, 2007, 4:18 amSteve:
I need to TiVo the Standford/Cal play next time it's on, because I want to slow-mo it. I swear that on about the third or fourth lateral, somewhere near mid-field, the Cal player is down before he laterals it.
I must say I'm somewhat surprised no coach ever tries to implement a rugby style offense, or least call some plays that provide for the option of a lateral. Occassionally, you'll see the hook and ladder run, usually in desperation situations, but I would think that this type of play may be a weaker opponenets best bet against a team with more talent. Plus, it is much more tiring to defend than it is for the offense. Did you see the defensive players basically standing around at the end? The practically gave up.
November 1, 2007, 2:21 pmMark Hargrave:
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