Oregon beat Arizona State on Saturday, 54-35. For a few hours, a Ducks team that’s been mired in a terrible year looked a bit like its old self. And one of the most delightful things was this fake punt, which included a sales job for the ages:
Fake punts >>> @Deramus26 gives @WinTheDay a fresh set of downs! #ASUvsUO
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) October 29, 2016
LIVE: https://t.co/YfMNDWtSGWhttps://t.co/MKfTjk5ffq
So, Oregon punter Ian Wheeler was standing ready to take a long snap and boot the ball away. The snap came, and Wheeler had an apparent moment of panic.
Oh, no, where ever is the football? I think I’ve lost it!
He started to run backward, frantically searching for the football as it bounded away from him. What a disaster this would be for the Ducks.
Sike!
The snap went directly to up-man Khalil Oliver, who darted straight through Arizona State’s coverage and ran 16 yards for a first down. The Ducks eventually missed a field goal on the drive, but let’s not have that diminish the joy of this play.
This one is your clubhouse leader for Best Fake Punt of Week 9. Last week’s champion was SMU’s Jamie Sackville, who caught Houston napping on a rollout rugby punt.
For fans of enjoyable fakes — a demographic that should include all of us — these are the good times. Let’s keep them rolling.