The Biggest Trick-Play Fails in Football

Up 3-0 early in the second quarter of the BCS National Championship Game, Alabama faced a 4th-and-4 from LSU's 32 yard line. Crimson Tide Head Coach Nick Saban sent out kicker Jeremy Shelley for what was supposedly a field goal attempt to take a 6-0 lead in a game that many figured would be a low-scoring, defensive-minded affair.

Quarterback and placeholder A.J. McCarron took the snap and threw a quick shovel pass to tight end Chris Underwood (#87 above) who was cutting right after lining up on the far left side of the Alabama line. Underwood barreled toward the right side but was tripped up by LSU defensive end Barkevious Mingo (#49 above) and fell sideways near the 28 yard line.

ESPN didn't have a good camera angle, so it was difficult to tell whether the officiating crew correctly spotted the ball. But, the ruling was in favor of Alabama and the drive survived.

The Crimson Tide avoided wasting an opportunity for three sure points and also turning the ball and the momentum over to the Tigers.

Other teams haven't been as fortunate as the Tide, who eventually beat LSU 21-0 to claim the National Championship. Too often, teams fall face-first when attempting to unleash a bit of trickeration.

Here are the ten biggest trick play fails in high school, college and professional football.

#10: Colonial Heights (VA) v. Fort Lee (VA), 11/09

There's only grainy footage available, but the failed trick play that happened in what appears to be a 2009 Central Virginia Youth Football League game between the Fort Lee Cobras and and the team from Colonial Heights is one for the ages.

The Colonial Heights quarterback takes the ball from his center and starts jogging toward his sideline, trying to execute what is known as the "Wrong Ball" play. Hoping to make the defense believe he's just heading over to his coach to exchange the ball, the quarterback will no doubt take off for the endzone just before he reaches the sideline.

Fort Lee defender Troy Hattori (left) wasn't having any of it. He streaked into the backfield, reaching the quarterback before he took five steps and tackling him for a loss.

Amazing how this young Pop Warner player could figure it out, but so many others get caught with their pants down. Even Hattori's teammates seem to be oblivious to what's happening until well after the fact.

Video Evidence (YouTube)

#9: St. Louis Rams v. San Francisco 49ers, 1/1/12

After dropping their first six games of the 2011 season and heading into Week 17 at 2-13, the St. Louis Rams didn't have much to play for in their season finale against the NFC West Champion San Francisco 49ers. The Rams' only chance at glory was beating the 49ers and robbing San Francisco of a first round bye in the NFL Playoffs.

Tied 7-7 early in the second quarter and moving the ball toward mid-field, the Rams needed only three yards to convert on a third down play to keep the drive alive. Lame duck head coach Steve Spagnuolo called for a halfback pass, with Jerious Norwood (left) throwing the ball to a streaking Kellen Clemens (the team's third string QB).

The problem was that Norwood looked like he's never thrown a football before in his life. His cross-field floater back to Clemens was easily picked by San Francisco cornerback Tarell Brown who returned the ball to the St. Louis 28.

Two plays later, Alex Smith hooked up with Michael Crabtree for a score, putting the Niners up by seven. San Francisco eventually went up 34-13, before eking out the win 34-27 and securing their #2 seed in the NFC for their first playoff appearance since 2002.

As for the Norwood, Clemens, and the rest of the Rams? They're all playing golf now, while their former head coach looks for a new job.

Video Evidence (NFL.com)

#8: Carolina Panthers v. Minnesota Vikings, 9/17/06

The Carolina Panthers entered the 2006 season with high expectations. The team was coming off an 11-5 season in 2005, in which they seemed to recapture the spark that sent them to the Super Bowl two years before that.

Led by quarterback Jake Delhomme, the two-headed running back of DeShaun Foster and rookie DeAngelo Williams and receiver Steve Smith (who wouldn't play until Week 3 due to injury), the Panthers were primed to make another run to the NFL Playoffs.

After a Week 1 loss to Atlanta, Carolina headed to Minnesota to take on the Vikings, but their playoff aspirations took a major hit and never recovered courtesy of a botched lateral on a punt return that set Minnesota up for a comeback victory.

Fielding a punt with a seven point lead and 10 minutes remaining in the game, Vikings defensive back and returner Chris Gamble took off left, drawing the Vikings toward his side of the field, then stopped and uncorked a bouncing lateral in the direction of teammate Richard Marshall at midfield. As Marshall tried to secure the ball, Vikings safety Will Hunter caused him to fumble, and Minnesota linebacker Jason Glenn (above) recovered at Carolina's 21.

Four plays later, the Vikings threw the Panthers' incompetence back in their faces, successfully faking a field goal with kicker Ryan Longwell tossing a 16-yard touchdown pass. The game went into OT where Longwell would win it for Minnesota on a field goal.

Already 0-2, Carolina head coach John Fox fell on a sword, taking the blame for the play call. But Fox's apology wouldn't make up for the fact that the Panthers finished one game out of the playoffs at 8-8.

Video Evidence (unavailable)

#7: Miami (OH) Redhawks v. Central Michigan Chippewas, 10/16/10

While a failed trick play didn't cost the Miami University RedHawks their 2010 game against the Central Michigan Chippewas, it cost them their kicker and leading scorer for two games due to injury.

Tied 0-0 shortly after the start of the second quarter, Miami faced a 4th-and-10 at CMU's 21 yard line. Instead of taking three easy points early in the game, Miami called a fake, and quarterback Zac Dysert ran an option to the right.

At the last moment, Dysert pitched the ball to his second option, kicker Trevor Cook (#19, above). Cook took the ball and barreled down the sideline, getting upended by a CMU defender and injuring his knee three yards shy of the first down.

Thankfully for Miami, they went on to win the game 27-20, and Cook only missed two games before he rejoined the RedHawks for their run to a MAC Championship and victory over Middle Tennessee State in the Go-Daddy.com Bowl.

Video Evidence (YouTube)

#6: Watauga (NC) HS v. St. Stephens (NC) HS, 11/10/10

It was Senior Night at Watauga High School in North Carolina in 2010, and the Pioneers were playing host to the St. Stephens Indians. Coach Tim Pruitt wanted to let his team do something special, to run a play of their own.

With Watauga going for a two-point conversion, senior placekicker Cam Haas lined up left and started in motion to the right. 

Pretty straightforward, no?

Except that Haas was doing back-handsprings across the field.

Watauga was immediately flagged, the play whistled dead, and both Pruitt and Haas were ejected from the game. According to Yahoo!'s Prep Rally blog (via AOL News), "Haas was ejected because of the play and an earlier flag for a tinted visor and an additional unsportsmanlike penalty assessed for an inappropriate comment from a Watauga assistant coach after the play added up to earn Pruitt's ban."

The Pioneers got their comeuppance, losing to St. Stephens by a score of 31-28, eliminating Watauga from playoff contention, but hopefully teaching them a lesson about the rules of the game and a little something called, "class."

Video Evidence (YouTube)

#5: Florida State Seminoles v. Auburn Tigers, 10/20/90

In a 1990 game against the Auburn Tigers, Florida State inexplicably tried to run the infamous "fumblerooski" play in the 4th quarter with a seven point lead, with stomach-turning consequences.

Before the Seminole lineman had a chance to pick up the ball, an Auburn defender recovered FSU quarterback Casey Weldon's "fumble," and the Tigers then marched down the field before running back Stacy Danley (left) score the game-tying touchdown with 3:47 to play.

Auburn stopped FSU on its ensuing possession, and then once again marched down the field, this time setting up a Jim Von Wyl game-winning field goal as time expired.

Source: WarBlogle.com, Top 30 at Jordan-Hare: #16 Auburn 20, Florida State 17

Video Evidence (unavailable)

#4: Texas Tech Red Raiders v. Baylor Bears, 10/9/10

One week after allowing the Iowa State Cyclones to return an onside kick for a touchdown to seal a victory late in the game, the Texas Tech Red Raiders were playing the Baylor Bears at the Cotton Bowl when disaster struck again.

With the game tied 7-7 in the first quarter, placekicker Donnie Carona again tried the onside kick, this time trying to surprise Baylor, but his kick was miserable and failed to go the requisite ten yards.

Three members of the Red Raiders kickoff team (including Carona) gathered around and stared at the ball on the ground, but not touching it, when Baylor running back Terrance Ganaway, realizing it was a live ball, grabbed it and ran 38 yards for a touchdown to put the Bears up 14-7.

The Red Raiders would eventually win 45-38, but it was their botched onside kicks in consecutive weeks that are remembered, including their unexpected onside kick fail against Baylor.

Video Evidence (YouTube)

#3: Washington Redskins v. New York Giants, 12/21/09

Down 24-0 with three seconds remaining before halftime in a late-season Monday Night Football game, the Washington Redskins ran an inexplicable play that left FedEx Field raining down with boos and hastened lame duck coach Jim Zorn's already imminent exit.

After lining up for a field goal attempt, the Skins' line and a handful of receivers shifted out wide, holder Hunter Smith (left) stood up in the shotgun formation and kicker Graham Gano went in motion toward the now-shifted offense.

What happened next pointed to either (1) the most poorly coached players in NFL history, (2) the most poorly designed fake field goal in NFL history, or (3) all of the above.

Here's Mike Tirico's brilliantly deadpan call of this utterly embarrassing play:

Danny Smith, the special teams coach, has shown a full bag of tricks this year. Eh, do it again, why not? ...And they'll send Gano in motion...and Smith, with the rush...will throw it up... 

What in the wide world was that? Bruce Johnson with the interception. This is embarrassing.

Johnson to the 40. Johnson to midfield, and taken outta bounds at the 45-yard line.

And uh, listen to this Christmas greeting [referring to the fans' boos].

Zorn was canned at the end of the year after two ignominious years at the helm of the Redskins. Despite having many terrible moments in his short tenure as head coach, Zorn's play call in this December Monday Night Football game was probably the worst and served as the cherry on top of his two year failure in our nation's capital.

Video Evidence (iViewTube)

#2: Virginia Tech Hokies v. Michigan Wolverines, 1/3/12

Tied 17-17 with the Michigan Wolverines midway through the 4th quarter of this year's Sugar Bowl, the Virginia Tech Hokies faced a 4th-and-1 at Michigan's 48. The Hokies lined up to punt, but head coach Frank Beamer is known for his special teams units and tried once again to pull a rabbit out of his hat.

But Michigan wasn't falling for any magic.

Wide receiver and recently-named starting punter Danny Coale (left) took the snap, drifted right and then ran upfield - directly into Michigan linebacker Jake Ryan seven yards behind the line of scrimmage. 

With his plant leg wrapped up by Ryan and the threat of giving Michigan a short field looming, Coale tried to kick the ball, but only ended up fumbling it and turning the ball over to the Wolverines

Michigan would kick a field goal on the ensuing drive to go up 20-17, and first year head coach Brady Hoke and the Wolverines eventually win the game in overtime 23-20, the team's first BCS victory since Tom Brady was under center.

Video Evidence (YouTube)

#1: New England Patriots v. New York Jets, 1/16/11

Despite all of Rex Ryan's foibles (his inability to resist making silly predictions, his love of his own voice, the foot fetish thing, etc.), he has injected much energy into the Jets rivalry with their divisional foe the New England Patriots.

The Pats entered last year's NFL Playoffs as the AFC's No. 1 seed, with an 14-2 record. One of their losses was at the hands of Ryan and company.

The Jets were the No. 6 seed and beat the Indianapolis Colts, champions of the AFC South, in the wild card round to set up a rubber match against the Patriots in New England.

With the Jets up 7-3 and 1:14 remaining in the first half, New England lined up to punt on 4th-and-4. Safety Patrick Chung (above, #25), lined up between the long snapper and punter Zoltan Mesko, saw a hole on the right side of the field and called an audible to have the balled snapped directly to him.

Had Chung succeeded, he may have become a New England folk hero.

The problem is, Chung fumbled the snap.

The Jets brought him down at the New England 37 and take over on downs, and then drove for a touchdown to take a 14-3 lead at the half. They didn't look back, winning 28-21 to advance to the AFC Championship against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Meanwhile, Chung was left to stew over this mishap during what was a longer offseason than he and the Patriots ever expected.

Video Evidence (NFL.com)