One thing I do wonder about with Richt’s departure is whether one of the patented great calls in his offensive arsenal, the complete play action sell out, will stay in the playbook. Here’s an example of it pulled off by Aaron Murray against Ole Miss a few years ago.
Man, when it works, it’s a thing of beauty, ain’t it?
Get The Picture 
Keep that left hand visible – See, no ball!
Gotcha!
David Green did it a tad better. I think it’s because he had more body bulk to hide the ball.
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As good as that one was, the one against Vandy back in ’03 or ’04 with Greene was even better. And right before or after the play occurred, they mentioned that the safety (who bit on the fake) had a perfect SAT score coming out of HS and such.
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2002 against Vandy – thing of beauty
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Yes it was … DGreene did it best IMO
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Fo real!
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No one did it better than the “Lefhander from Snellville”!
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I can’t remember it ever not working. Would LOVE to see that highlight if it exists because it would be absolutely brutal.
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Plus ever since the advent of the targeting call, it can only be more effective. What pass rusher is going to risk just cold cocking a QB with his back turned who might not even have the ball?
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It’s definitely been sniffed out and stuffed before. Can’t remember specifics though
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Was blown up vs. South Carolina in 2005 and 2007. Also, vs. Auburn in 2004, there was a variation of it out of the shotgun and Greene threw an interception in the endzone. They ran is basically once a year. You can’t do it more than that bc then people are on to it.
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Yeah, its a fine line between play action and this, which is basically a trick play. If you rant it that play too often, you’d need some serious QB depth. But (tongue in cheek) you’d also bust some long runs because it’d take twice as long for them to know for sure you weren’t passing every time you did run.
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Agreed, this isn’t a basic play at all- the QB has to turn away from the LOS entirely, which takes time (and courage). It’s a great trick play but use it more than 2-3 times in a season and you’ll have some dead QBs on your hands.
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’07 SC it was certainly used too often. I don’t think anyone in the stadium was fooled.
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Isn’t this play getting blown up in that 2007 South Carolina game what some guy around here last week was using as irrefutable evidence that Bobo was the worst?
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Probably … Bobo Derangement Syndrome
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Greene and Stafford, respectively
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If I remember: 01 Auburn, 02 Vandy, 03 Tech (didn’t go for a TD), 04 Auburn (int in endzone), 05 USC on 4th and 1 (blown up), 06 VT, 07 USC 4th and 1 (blown up), 08-10, don’t remember, 11 LSU, 12 Ole Miss, 13-15, can’t remember
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I think it was Auburn in 01 that stands out to me. They were on the 15 or so?, Greene pulled it off. Yes, a thing of beauty most fine.
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Ahhh, the hobnailboot, will never forget. I to hope we keep it with Eason, perfect guy to run it.
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Seems I remember Terence dropping one of those…maybe pre-Richt
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That would be UF 2002
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But that was just a post pattern where the defender fell down, right? Not the ball-behind-the-back play fake?
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That’s correct, WF
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Don’t ever mention that again.
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It takes a special kind of person to constantly bring up negative shit….I never understood it.
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Don’t forget Clem’s Son 2003 to Fred Gibson on the game’s first series – it opened the can of whoop @$$ we put on Auburn with a Lake that day.
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It was beautiful. Clemson never knew what hit them that day.
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My favorite part of this play is now and has always been watching the Safety throw up into his facemask as he realizes that he’s been had just before he has to turn tail and break into the Full Sprint of Futility.
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Ahh, Ole Miss ’12. Very much the definition of “hangover game.” Coming off the win over Florida and having the East nearly sewn up, the Dawgs decided to wait to start playing in the second quarter.
Here were the drives right after that Marlon Brown TD:
Ole Miss punt
Georgia fumble
Ole Miss fumble
Georgia fumble
Ole Miss interception
Georgia turnover on downs
Ole Miss punt
Georgia touchdown (that play where Murray Romo’d around for ten seconds with the half running out and then somehow found Money Mitch next to the Redcoats in the endzone)
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It was that TD before the half that really changed that game. Prior to that, it was ugly. I think the WR was Tavarres King, though.
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That’s actually what I remember too; was going by the ESPN PBP. I bet they got it wrong.
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One of the most beautiful plays in all of football. It only works when your running game is working well enough that the defense has to drop 9 into the box. What sells it though, is not the qb fake, it is the wide receiver really selling that he is going to run-block the safety on the back side. That is what gets both safeties to bite on the the play-fake. When the back side safety realizes the receiver cut up field, it is too late.
The play works every time provided that:
1. They are 9 men in the box
2. The 9 blockers hold their blocks
3. The WR sells the upcoming block
4. The WR makes the catch.
I have never seen the safety not bite when the WR does his job.
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That’s exactly right. The QB also has to time showing the ball at the right time.
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What I really like about it is that the quarterback fake is a minor piece of the puzzle. His fake is like any play action pass fake. But the blocking scheme, and the running back – watch Musa take a step to break right as he gets to the line as if he’s fixing to accelerate – and the somewhat casual way the receiver runs his route as if to say ‘I’m just a decoy, this is a run all the way”. It really is a team effort.
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Was Murray’s pass to Reggie Davis against North Texas in 2013 the same play from the goal line? I just don’t remember.
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I answered my own question. It wasn’t Flatback Rooskie, but a variation off it with play action with Davis in a full sprint on the post against man with 1 high safety. He ran by them both, and Aaron placed it perfectly.
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Absolutely the best play Richt had in the arsenal and certainly DG was the best at it. Shock ran it a few times and one I do remember getting sniffed out but DJ still seemed to be able to get a gain out of it! I am with you Senator I hope CKS keeps it in the playbook with coach Chaneys blessings. It is so awesome when it works. Like to see some trickeration from time to time.
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Can we get some hats with this on it?!?
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