This is a terrific article about David Greene and Aaron Murray on so many levels. You owe it to yourself to read and enjoy.
By far my favorite part is this:
… The two watched tape of Greene’s play-faking ability, which was on display several times on a “44-Flyback Rooskie” call used in short-yardage situations. By drawing in the safeties, Greene found Terrence Edwards alone for a 56-yard touchdown in a 2001 loss to Auburn and passed to Edwards again for a 65-yard score in an ’02 win over Vanderbilt.
The punchline is even better.
“Auburn is the one that most folks remember, because that was the first time we ever did it, but I liked the one against Vandy more because their safety was like a straight-A student who made a 1600 on his SAT, so I figured if we could fool this guy we could fool anybody,” Greene said. “Aaron had never heard of the play. He didn’t even know what I was talking about, which goes to show how old I’m getting.”
I hope Murray enjoyed watching that as much as I have.
Get The Picture 
I remember watching part of the Auburn game (including the fake) from the Margaritaville bar in the Jamaica airport coming home from my honeymoon.
I screamed in the middle of the bar and was looking around for confirmation on what just happened. I was the lone football fan in the room.
I was bummed when we landed and learned we lost that one.
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Unlike Greene, the Auburn fake is my favorite, because I had the pleasure of sitting behind the Auburn bench as the play developed. The only guy on the sideline who sniffed it out was Tuberville, who I watched sprint frantically towards the safety trying to warn him.
Obviously, Tubs didn’t get his attention.
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I remember watching the replay on the big screen and seeing Tubs lose his mind on that one. Too bad that one ended the way it did…
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You got married in the Fall?
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+1
I just spit my coffee on that comment. 🙂
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that play was a beautifully coordinated piece of fakery: greene’s quick-draw fake and pretending to give up on the play; musa’s cradling of an imaginary football; edwards’ showing block then taking off upfield.
i suspect the reason murray’s never heard of it is that we used it too much and other teams started to look for it. the last time i can remember us running it was south carolina 2007: a disastrous sack.
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we tried it against FU later that year and stafford got flattened.
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ah, i think i remember that now. i guess sc is the one that stands out to me because that game ruined what could have been a very special season. wasn’t the sack in the sc game on a fourth-and-short?
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I agree. It’s a memorable early Richt era play but I’m kind of glad Murray doesn’t know it. It needs a few more years off after it was sniffed out so well the last two attempts.
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I’ve never seen anybody run it as well as Greene did.
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Amen. He was a master at it. Staff didn’t sell it as well which is why he got creamed
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Greene was definitely the master, but Stafford had a really pretty fake in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl against VT in ’06. Wish I could say the same about the SCe game the next year. I think we definitely went to the well too many times.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VnjtZxwQdo&p=A053E1B83C1344C1&playnext=1&index=5 (at 1:05).
That play is was also notable because Martrez actually held onto the ball.
/remembers UF game that year.
/dies a little inside.
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I remember seeing Richt’s FSU Team pull the Rooskie against Clemson in 2000.
I couldn’t believe the balls on an OC to call that in the endzone
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That’s the right time to call it.
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I was at the FSU-Clemson game in 88 when they ran the puntrooskie. I was in the end zone where Deion ran back the punt. I clearly heard him scream “How you like me now!” after he scored, right at the Clemson students standing against the fence.
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My favorite was the AU fake. I had a perfect view of Greene holding onto the ball since I was sitting w/ a friend in the wheelchair section in the student endzone.
When I saw Greene casually walking in our direction while still holding the ball near is hip, I thought the play had been whistled dead. I kept waiting for the refs to run out waving their arms but then Greene turns around and whips the ball down field!
Besides the AU and Vandy games, didn’t he also complete a long pass against Tech using the same play? Any other games you can remember when the play was successful?
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Completed it to Fred Gibson against Trek in ’03, if memory serves.
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Great Completion By Fred Greene !!!
Damn, I miss Larry….
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My favorite play ever. Obviously there are plays that mean more because of the situation but as far as just watching, this one is at the top.
Hopefully since Murray had not seen it a lot of the new coordinators in the conference have not either and we can run it again.
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It got blown up against SCU in 05 in almost the exact same field position and situation as 07, but Shock was able to throw it away.
Also, one very similar to this, but out of the shotgun was thrown for an interception by Greene in the Auburn endzone in 04.
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At this point maybe we should shelve it for another year or so, use it in non-conference/bowl games or try it if we have an unsuspecting new defensive coordinator.
Al Groh anyone?
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