While trick plays can produce great things, the results can also be calamitous. During Thursday night’s game against ACC rival Georgia Tech, North Carolina State tried a trick play that fell definitively into the latter category.
With no score in the first quarter, the Wolfpack started their second offensive possession of the game in an unusual formation. Four offensive linemen and receiver Kevin Concepcion moved out wide and to the right of quarterback CJ Bailey — who was in the shotgun. Concepcion then went in motion back toward the quarterback to field a pop pass. We can presume this play was intended to draw the Georgia Tech defense to one side of the field, giving Concepcion a lot of room to run on the other side. It just never got that far.
Concepcion was only one yard ahead of Bailey when the quarterback tossed him the ball. While that would seem to be a relatively safe play, Concepcion being at speed made the timing of the play particularly important. Unfortunately for the Wolfpack, the timing was just off.
When Concepcion couldn’t handle the pop pass, the ball went straight up into the air. Bailey then tried to corral it but couldn’t, again, knocking it into the air. The next player to touch the ball was Georgia Tech’s EJ Lightsey who, unlike Concepcion and Bailey, had no problem catching it. Bailey was the only North Carolina State player with a chance to tackle Lightsey but the Yellow Jackets linebacker broke the tackle and sprinted to the end zone for a touchdown.
Certainly, the play was not what the Wolfpack were hoping for. Those watching the play, however, certainly had no issue finding the humor. It drew (among other reactions) comparisons to the Indianapolis Colts’ notorious botched fake punt against the New England Patriots.
Indeed, pop passes and shovel passes are normally safe because, even if the timing is off, it’s usually going to result in an incomplete pass. North Carolina State wasn’t so fortunate here, though.
[CJ Fogler on X, Photo Credit: ESPN]