Wisconsin’s fourth down play against Gophers is a real head-scratcher (GIF)
By Frank Bi
College football has its share of trick plays, whether it’s the classic fumblerooski or a direct snap to a 265-pound defensive lineman. But nothing was as baffling and ineffective at the same time as Wisconsin’s trick play on fourth down against the Gophers on Saturday.
Early in the fourth quarter, Wisconsin was up 20-7 with a fourth and two on the Minnesota 26 yard line. Opting out of kicking a field goal (Badgers had missed a chip shot earlier) and instead of calling up their rushing attack that had been averaging almost five yards per attempt, they decide to go for a trick play that’ll surely make the SportsCenter Not Top 10 next Friday.
The set-up had all the looks of a screen to the left — was Minnesota supposed to be fooled by the player in-motion to the right or the fact that the punter was taking the snap for a throw? Who knows. But one thing we do know: the Badgers’ playbook just became one play smaller.