Mississippi State unloads a disastrous punt that sums up 2020 perfectly
By Keith Farner
Published:
Mississippi State coach Mike Leach is not a fan of punting in general, and after this performance, he may get rid of the fourth down play altogether.
Late in the third quarter of the Armed Forces Bowl against Tulsa, MSU punter Tucker Day appeared to scrape his kicking foot on the ground as he went to punt, and then barely nicked the ball on the upswing. It resulted in a punt that went for zero yards at the MSU 32-yard line. MSU trainers came on the field to check on Day, who sat with his legs crossed for several minutes after the play.
It was an unusual play for Day, who otherwise was solid for the Bulldogs. For the game, Day had four punts that averaged 29.5 yards, including a long of 44 yards and two downed inside the 20-yard line.
Tulsa took advantage with a touchdown on the ensuing drive, but the Golden Hurricane missed a two-point conversion attempt, so Mississippi State held a narrow 21-19 lead with 12:30 remaining in the game in a soggy Fort Worth, Texas.
If 2020 was a punt, this was it.
If 2020 was a punt.#ArmedForcesBowl pic.twitter.com/DIvMOWo6rP
— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) December 31, 2020
When we told 2020 we were going to kick its ass a year ago today…. pic.twitter.com/Yri6iMg7y4
— Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic) December 31, 2020
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
