Tulane runs bizarre trick play that results in disastrous fumble vs. Ole Miss
By David Wasson
Published:
You can’t blame Tulane for pulling out all the stops Saturday in an effort to upend Ole Miss in the first round of the College Football Playoff – though the Green Wave certainly had better intentions than how their third-quarter trick play turned out.
Facing a second-and-10 near midfield and trailing No. 6 seed Ole Miss 27-3, No. 10 seed Tulane attempted a sugar huddle with quarterback Jake Retzlaff, running back Jamauri McClure and receiver Zacari Lewis Jr. all meeting up in the backfield to attempt a misdirection run.
Retzlaff ended up keeping the football and was able to gain seven yards on the carry into Ole Miss territory, but Rebels defender TJ Dottery stripped the Green Wave QB of the football and teammate Kapena Gushiken pounced on top of it for a turnover.
Here’s a clip of the unfortunate miscue:
Ole Miss would convert the turnover into points on the opening play of the fourth quarter when Logan Diggs took a direct snap three yards into the end zone to make it 34-3. The turnover was Tulane’s second of the game, as Retzlaff uncorked an interception to Tre Shackleford in the first quarter on just his third pass attempt of the game.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. He also hosts Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson, weekdays from 3-5 pm across Southwest Florida and on FoxSportsFM.com. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
