Posted by Troy Hebert

By Troy Hebert

Towards the start of the Third Quarter, something crazy happened. Drew Weatherford took the snap on 2^nd and ten from his own 45 yard line, and made a quick throw to Chris Davis on the sideline – a receiver screen?

NO. Davis looked downfield before quickly looking back to Weatherford and completing the lateral back to his Quarterback.

Wait one dadgum second – Is this The Big House, 1991 – Weldon to Ward to Weldon? – did I get sucked into a time warp?

Then, Weatherford looked downfield and quickly flicked a pass to DeCody Fagg 30 yards downfield. First Down, Seminoles. I was dumbfounded. It took a minute to catch my breath. Did that just happen? Where had that been? Where was that kind of carefree play-calling against UF? Against Clemson?

Sure, we settled for the field goal – but it established a mindset. We were down 7 at halftime, and should have been down less than that, but had to settle for a field goal. We came right out, and let UCLA know that we came to win. Throwing caution to the wind, we actually executed a pretty innovative trick play against a good defense, at a point in the game where we couldn’t afford mistakes.

It was quite a rush. As a fan, seeing a little bit of trickeration from your team is always one of those “I can’t believe that just happened” kind of feelings. You love it when they work, and you still rave about ‘em if they didn’t. I can only imagine what a play like that does to the Offensive Players actually executing the play. There is a case where coaches are showing confidence in their boys, taking a little bit of pride from the defense, and giving opposing Defensive Coordinators another thing to think about.

Where has that been, Bobby? Here is a coach who orchestrated “the greatest play since My Fair Lady,” turned the direct snap into a household phrase, and even in his earlier days – ran the Reverse so much it was no longer considered a trick play.

I grew up on fake field goals and Puntrooskies. I reveled in Receiver passes, Halfback Passes, Flea Flickers and the occasional Double Reverse. Where is THAT playbook?

A man who receives the nickname like “The Riverboat Gambler” needs to remind us why he EARNED that name. There was a time when we might have stopped running them with regularity because we were no longer the perpetual underdogs. We didn’t need to “rub it in” that we were Bigger, Stronger, Faster and Better Prepared. But those times have passed. Teams base their entire offensive philosophies on Reverses and Misdirection plays (see UF, Wake Forest, Utah, etc.). Times change, but people don’t. Somewhere in Doak Campbell Stadium on those Seminole Saturdays the Riverboat Gambler is still roaming around someplace.

Where is that Crazy Old Man from Alabama?

Heck, I’m just glad to see a little glimpse from the Dynasty Years. Here’s to hoping it wasn’t the last time we do.