The 1 play that derailed Coastal Carolina

[bucs90]

The quote below is my post from the "Most boneheaded decisions" thread. It is the 1 play, in my opinion, that thwarted the Coastal Carolina program's momentum and prevented it from absolutely dominating the Big South, smoothly going to the SoCon, and growing faster than any 1-AA team in SC, eventually to App St levels maybe.

Sure, 2006 was the next year and Coastal did great. They had so much talent in 06 as seniors, several who went to the NFL, it was when everything came together. But I think had they won that last game in 05, made the playoffs at 10-1 that year, carried that momentum, and maybe playoff wins as I think the 05 CCU team was better than the 06 one, I really think we'd be talking about Coastal's chances of winning a 6th or 7th BSC title, and being a regular 1-AA top 10 team.

As a CSU fan, I can't say much, as our program has only 1 BSC title, no playoff appearances, and a very modest history. So I say all this just as observation and as a fan of all BSC teams (so long as they aren't playing CSU that week). I truly thought Coastal was going to become the new App St of 1-AA back in 2004-2006. But it just seems that the disaster finish to their 2005 season lingered for a few years in that program. Had a friend who played there in 07-09, and he said some coaches still hadn't let it go.

Anyway, the play was:

"Those are all good, but NOTHING compares to the All-Time Greatest Boneheaded decision of college football history. Late November, Charleston, SC, 2005. Charleston Southern vs Coastal Carolina. Huge game- CSU has 1 BSC loss, CCU 0 losses, this is last game of season, so CSU has a chance to win first conference title ever by beating CCU, and CCU has chance to win another BSC title, and finish 10-1 and go to the NCAA Playoffs.

4th quarter. Coastal has ball with about 1:00 to go. 50 yard line. Up 7 points on CSU. Coastal has 1st down and begins to take a knee, "Victory formation". Game over right? Well, they do that on 1st, 2nd, 3rd down. CSU had a couple timeouts and used them.

So it's 4th and 10. 50 yard line. With 10 seconds left. Yes, 00:10 in the 4th, up by 7, 4th and 10 at the 50. You PUNT, right? Well, CSU had a phenomenal punt returner that year, and he had ran back 5-6 that season. Coastal could either kick to him, where he'd get the punt around the 15-20 (Good odds of making the tackle there).....................OR.....they could, and did, the following:

Coastal put their fastest player, a WR who ended up in NFL I think, at punter. In punt formation. They snap it to him. The idea is to run backwards, stay in bounds, let time expire, and run out the back of the end zone. Give CSU as safety, Coastal will win by 5, then go to playoffs, win BSC, etc, etc.

Player takes the snap, and runs backwards with time expiring. CSU's players chase him, "Stay in their lanes" and funnel him towards the pylon of the goal line. The CCU player, in a moment that nearly gave CCU's head coach a stroke/heart attack/aneurism/kidney failure/blown ACL all in one motion...............ran out of bounds at the 1 yard line........with 1.5 seconds to play.

CSU had 1 play to put it into OT. And All-Big South QB Colin Drafts did just that, with a miracle TD throw.

CSU won the game in overtime. CCU finished 9-2. Didn't go to playoffs.

The 2005 Big South Conference Championship Trophy sits on CSU's campus now.

Rumors on the SC coast were that the CCU WR didn't leave his dorm room for almost 2 weeks after that. The CSU highlight film from 2005 captured CCU and CSU's head coaches shake hands after the game, and the CSU coach's facial expression was that of consoling someone dealing with a funeral, both coaches still in shock. Most of the CCU team stood on the sideline as CSU tore down their goal posts. They looked like they had just...........

I'm a CSU fan obviously. Was there for the game. But I've debated this, and it truly is hard to express what a miracle, and travesty of a decision, that last play in regulation was. It is in my opinion the most boneheaded decision in the history of college football."

[T-Dog]

Man I forgot about that.

Ironically the same year, Furman had something similar happen to them. The Slip is what it's known as. Furman up 23-21 late in the 3rd @ App in the semis. 3rd and goal from the one. Ingle Martin fakes the handoff which the defense bites on, then curls around to the endzone. No one within five yards of him. He plants his inside foot (turning right so it was his right foot) to complete the turn. It goes out from underneath him and down he does on the one.

Next play, 4th and goal, handoff to all-everything back Jerome Felton and he's met in the backfield by the the entire left side of the App defensive line. It was the only time we stopped Felton all day.

ATTENTION FURMIES: There was NO patch of ice as you like to claim. He pivoted wrong, lost his balance and fell. If it was on natural grass the same thing would have happened.

After that, App scores with 2 minutes left to go up 29-23, Martin drives the field but fumbles it away and that's that. App breaks through to the Championship game for the first time ever and Furman has never been the same since.

A gif of the two plays

If Martin doesn't slip, Furman wins the National Championship. No doubt in my mind. Sorry UNI but Felton would have ran over you and Martin would have dissected your secondary.

And let's not even get started on the other semifinal that year and The Knee.

[AppStateAlumQC]

Man I forgot about that.

Ironically the same year, Furman had something similar happen to them. The Slip is what it's known as. Furman up 23-21 late in the 3rd @ App in the semis. 3rd and goal from the one. Ingle Martin fakes the handoff which the defense bites on, then curls around to the endzone. No one within five yards of him. He plants his inside foot (turning right so it was his right foot) to complete the turn. It goes out from underneath him and down he does on the one.

Next play, 4th and goal, handoff to all-everything back Jerome Felton and he's met in the backfield by the the entire left side of the App defensive line. It was the only time we stopped Felton all day.

ATTENTION FURMIES: There was NO patch of ice as you like to claim. He pivoted wrong, lost his balance and fell. If it was on natural grass the same thing would have happened.

After that, App scores with 2 minutes left to go up 29-23, Martin drives the field but fumbles it away and that's that. App breaks through to the Championship game for the first time ever and Furman has never been the same since.

A gif of the two plays

If Martin doesn't slip, Furman wins the National Championship. No doubt in my mind. Sorry UNI but Felton would have ran over you and Martin would have dissected your secondary.

And let's not even get started on the other semifinal that year and The Knee.

That App/Furman Semis game was a CLASSIC. Two great teams and Big Omar almost returned that fumble all the way - KBS was ELECTRIC! Truly one of the biggest plays in Appalachian Football history. And like you said, Furman has never been the same since.

[JBB]

I did not know that!

Good story

[rogers3]

That 3rd down play... what can you say?