CARTER FUMBLES GAME AWAY
Defensive End Marquis Gardner forces a fumble during the 4th quarter.
Lamont Carter sat, head down on the sidelines, quietly sobbing to himself.
All year long, he had wanted and asked for more carries, never having more than 10 in a game. He came into the stadium ready to play.
But, by the end of the game, the young man had as many fumbles as he had yards. 2. And he had no one to blame but himself.
Let's go back to the beginning of the game: The teams traded three and outs, and then the UPA offense got in a rhythm and marched right down the field. However, Hector Morris was hit as he threw, and a Bull defender ran the ball 75 yards back to the Coyote 5. Buffalo's Aaron Leeper punched it in two plays later. 7-0.
The rest of the half was a defensive clinic. Or, depending on how you view it, a mutual agreement not to play disciplined offense. Morris rarely had more than 2 or 3 seconds to throw before being hit, and the Bulls run game was practically nonexistent. Both teams had little success, although another Coyote red-zone drive was squandered, as Kirk Caldwell dropped 2 consecutive passes on 3rd and 4th down.
With 16 seconds left after a field goal that had no prayer, however, the Coyotes decided to go for broke. And, for one second, something which had evaded the Coyotes seemingly all season came to their aid: good luck.
Flushed out of the pocket, Hector Morris fired a prayer up to Nate Morant (who had been shut down thus far.) A UB defender tipped it, and it looked like it was far out of anyone's reach. However, Michael Reyes, the Coyote's 5th receiver, made a spectacular play. Accelerating past his man, he slid and caught the ball just inches from the ground. The Coyotes seemed to have a chance, and after a Dominique Morant catch at the 12 they were able to get a field goal and go into the half with momentum.
Michael Reyes makes a highlight reel catch during the final seconds of the first half.
The second half, however, that good fortune and momentum came to a halt when Lady Luck herself entered the stadium. And, on this last Saturday, she was wearing blue and white.
The teams had more unspectacular football for most of the 3rd quarter, and then the Coyotes found their rhythm again. Right down the field. All pass plays. 10 yards to Morant. 15 to Russell. 12 to Caldwell. All the way to the 5.
And then, the three luckiest plays in Buffalo Bulls history commenced.
On a draw play up the middle, looking to take the lead on the 3rd redzone possession of the game, Lamont Carter fumbled the ball... after being tackled by the ankles. And, despite UPA blockers all being closer, a Buffalo safety fell on it to give them possesion.
The next play, Randall Secky floated a terrible pass towards the right side, right into the waiting hands of Austin Dukes. Time paused, as the receiver ran out of bounds and dukes stood there, hands poised to intercept, a sure pick 6...
And he dropped it.
But the greatest of the three plays was yet to come. Secky dropped back, and was hit by Irvin Erwin. By some miracle, he was able to stay up as he collided with his tackle, and launched a bomb to a wide-open man. A man who was only open, because Raleigh Sawyer had gotten tangled up with the flanker running a slant route, and tripped. After the catch, 2 UPA safties converged...
And were both shaken off at the same time.
95 yard touchdown pass.
The Coyotes tried coming back, but despite a field goal and a late touchdown to put the game within 7, 21-14, the Bulls were able to win because a certain Lamont Carter put the ball on the turf, and ran out the clock with a touchdown to end the game, 28-14. The Coyotes had a total of 7 red-zone possessions, and scored on only 3 of them.
Stay strong, UPA faithful. Purdue is up next. And the Coyotes are far from ready.
