In an effort to get us (even more) geared up for the 2018 season, here are the best/most memorable plays from the following key individuals returning for the 2018 season. Here are the criteria for selection:
Click on the video link for each play (longer segments have cue points listed).
Please respond with any agreements/disagreements, or suggested others. Video links would be awesome.
Offense
QB Clayton Thorson
2015 42 yard TD run vs. Stanford
The play that put CT into the hearts of Cats fans and established a reason why he was named the starter in the 3-way QB race of ’15.
2016 3 first half TDs vs. Indiana
As a bonus, this three-drive stretch was one of his better passing performances (mechanically, schematically, and inspirationally), showing he can do things through the air.
RB Jeremy Larkin
2017 65 yard run vs. Kentucky (Music City Bowl)
Spelling Justin Jackson, Lark took the handoff, zipped through the Kentucky front seven, and ripped off a 65 yarder that nearly culminated in six!
(3:03 mark in video)
RB John Moten
2016 43 yard TD run vs. Illinois (HAT! HAT! HAT!)
In perhaps his breakout performance of the season, Johnnie ‘Mo took the hand-off and swept around the end, turned the corner and found the endzone against that other team in our state.
WR Bennett Skowronek
2017 12 yard TD catch from Justin Jackson vs. MSU
In a bit of Mick McCall deception, RB Justin Jackson took the hand-off and tossed it to Benny, who skied over MSU defenders to securely haul in the important TD catch.
WR Flynn Nagel
2017 GW TD catch vs. MSU in 3OT
Undoubtedly the most important catch of Nagel’s NU career, he caught a Thorson pass on a short drag route over the middle, shook off a defender, and raced/dove into the endzone to put the ‘Cats up on top for what would be the eventual game-winning score.
(3:03 mark in video)
WR Riley Lees
2017 20 yard TD catch in back of endzone through 2 defenders @ Duke
At the end of an ugly NU blowout (in the wrong direction), Lees got behind two Duke DBs in the back of the endzone and stabbed a beautiful touch pass by Matt Alviti.
(2:59 mark in video)
Defense
DE Joe Gaziano
2016 MIGRAINE Sack for safety @ MSU
Perhaps one of the BEST NU football highlights of this decade, Joe Gaz came off the backside, and completely ambushed Brian Lewerke in a hit (that resulted in a safety) that will likely haunt MSUs QB for life.
DT Jordan Thompson
2017 Line destroy vs. Bowling Green
Early in the game, JT bull rushes his OL counterpart, drives right into the throwing motion of the BG QB and causes an incomplete pass (that could have been ruled a backward lateral- he disrupted it that much)
(00:02:50 mark on video)
DE Samdup Miller
2017 Sack on 2nd down in OT vs. Nebraska
Granted, the fumble recovery for a TD against Illinois was icing, this play was much more important, given its timing and contribution to sealing the 3rd straight OT win for the ‘Cats.
(2:50 mark in the video)
LB Paddy Fisher
2017 hit on RB vs. Kentucky in Music City Bowl
In one of a few controversial “targeting” calls on Paddy last season, this one was one of the prettiest legs-driving, run-through, facemask-through the chest tackles we saw all season.
(00:36:00 mark on video)
LB Nate Hall
2017 INT in 3OT vs MSU
You all know the play- after being stripped, and then recovering the strip, MSU QB Brian Lewerke threw an aggressive, though desperate heave to the goal line and Hall leapt in front of MSUs TE and came down with the game winning INT to preserve the win over the Spartans.
CB Montre Hartage
2016 one handed INT vs Indiana
Montre, trailing in coverage, took advantage of an underthrown ball and stole the ball off the jersey of a falling IU receiver.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8rCeMD-zEA
CB Trae Williams
2016 Game-clinching INT @ Iowa
Frosh Williams stepped undercut a CJ Bethard pass to stop a game-tying drive and seal the win for the ‘Cats against the red-lettered Hawkeyes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYzkOr9c3xU (2:42 mark in video)
FS Jared McGee
2016 GW INT in Pinstripe Bowl vs. Pitt
With just a couple minutes remaining, McGee closed on a pass near the goal line and picked off the Pitt QB for a touchdown-saving, drive-halting takeaway.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI0DGC-q1BA (3:40 mark in video)
SS JR Pace
2017 INT @ Wisconsin
In early frosh action, JR played over the top, providing corner help and snagged a slightly overthrown Alex Hornibrook pass to stop a Wisky drive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY-nN0KeV-c
Special Teams
PK Charlie Kuhbander
2017 40 yard FG @ Maryland
Could have hit from 50, and it was dead on. One of three FGs in this game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVl_j_ZuSos (00:37:00 mark in video)
KR Solomon Vault
2015 98 yard KR for TD @ Duke
Locked in a tight game, Vault took the opening kick of the 2nd half to the house… watch (then-RB) Warren Long’s monster block (not needed but completely appreciated) at the end!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0w1pUsI4r8
PR Riley Lees
2017 Punt Return for TD (that was wrongly called back) vs. Purdue
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0vWyKdkRuQ (sorry about the quality)
Coaching Staff
“Juice” Coach Alex Spanos vs. Minnesota in the frigid blizzard
The man we love became a viral sensation after this and here we learned of the saying, “if you’re juiceless, you’re useless!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6qKR730mjY (1:00 mark in video)
Go ‘Cats! Bring the Windy to Indy!
- The play’s impact on the game itself
- The athletic marvel of the play itself/degree of difficulty
- The competition/“game importance”
Click on the video link for each play (longer segments have cue points listed).
Please respond with any agreements/disagreements, or suggested others. Video links would be awesome.
Offense
QB Clayton Thorson
2015 42 yard TD run vs. Stanford
The play that put CT into the hearts of Cats fans and established a reason why he was named the starter in the 3-way QB race of ’15.
2016 3 first half TDs vs. Indiana
As a bonus, this three-drive stretch was one of his better passing performances (mechanically, schematically, and inspirationally), showing he can do things through the air.
RB Jeremy Larkin
2017 65 yard run vs. Kentucky (Music City Bowl)
Spelling Justin Jackson, Lark took the handoff, zipped through the Kentucky front seven, and ripped off a 65 yarder that nearly culminated in six!
(3:03 mark in video)
RB John Moten
2016 43 yard TD run vs. Illinois (HAT! HAT! HAT!)
In perhaps his breakout performance of the season, Johnnie ‘Mo took the hand-off and swept around the end, turned the corner and found the endzone against that other team in our state.
WR Bennett Skowronek
2017 12 yard TD catch from Justin Jackson vs. MSU
In a bit of Mick McCall deception, RB Justin Jackson took the hand-off and tossed it to Benny, who skied over MSU defenders to securely haul in the important TD catch.
WR Flynn Nagel
2017 GW TD catch vs. MSU in 3OT
Undoubtedly the most important catch of Nagel’s NU career, he caught a Thorson pass on a short drag route over the middle, shook off a defender, and raced/dove into the endzone to put the ‘Cats up on top for what would be the eventual game-winning score.
(3:03 mark in video)
WR Riley Lees
2017 20 yard TD catch in back of endzone through 2 defenders @ Duke
At the end of an ugly NU blowout (in the wrong direction), Lees got behind two Duke DBs in the back of the endzone and stabbed a beautiful touch pass by Matt Alviti.
(2:59 mark in video)
Defense
DE Joe Gaziano
2016 MIGRAINE Sack for safety @ MSU
Perhaps one of the BEST NU football highlights of this decade, Joe Gaz came off the backside, and completely ambushed Brian Lewerke in a hit (that resulted in a safety) that will likely haunt MSUs QB for life.
DT Jordan Thompson
2017 Line destroy vs. Bowling Green
Early in the game, JT bull rushes his OL counterpart, drives right into the throwing motion of the BG QB and causes an incomplete pass (that could have been ruled a backward lateral- he disrupted it that much)
(00:02:50 mark on video)
DE Samdup Miller
2017 Sack on 2nd down in OT vs. Nebraska
Granted, the fumble recovery for a TD against Illinois was icing, this play was much more important, given its timing and contribution to sealing the 3rd straight OT win for the ‘Cats.
(2:50 mark in the video)
LB Paddy Fisher
2017 hit on RB vs. Kentucky in Music City Bowl
In one of a few controversial “targeting” calls on Paddy last season, this one was one of the prettiest legs-driving, run-through, facemask-through the chest tackles we saw all season.
(00:36:00 mark on video)
LB Nate Hall
2017 INT in 3OT vs MSU
You all know the play- after being stripped, and then recovering the strip, MSU QB Brian Lewerke threw an aggressive, though desperate heave to the goal line and Hall leapt in front of MSUs TE and came down with the game winning INT to preserve the win over the Spartans.
CB Montre Hartage
2016 one handed INT vs Indiana
Montre, trailing in coverage, took advantage of an underthrown ball and stole the ball off the jersey of a falling IU receiver.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8rCeMD-zEA
CB Trae Williams
2016 Game-clinching INT @ Iowa
Frosh Williams stepped undercut a CJ Bethard pass to stop a game-tying drive and seal the win for the ‘Cats against the red-lettered Hawkeyes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYzkOr9c3xU (2:42 mark in video)
FS Jared McGee
2016 GW INT in Pinstripe Bowl vs. Pitt
With just a couple minutes remaining, McGee closed on a pass near the goal line and picked off the Pitt QB for a touchdown-saving, drive-halting takeaway.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI0DGC-q1BA (3:40 mark in video)
SS JR Pace
2017 INT @ Wisconsin
In early frosh action, JR played over the top, providing corner help and snagged a slightly overthrown Alex Hornibrook pass to stop a Wisky drive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY-nN0KeV-c
Special Teams
PK Charlie Kuhbander
2017 40 yard FG @ Maryland
Could have hit from 50, and it was dead on. One of three FGs in this game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVl_j_ZuSos (00:37:00 mark in video)
KR Solomon Vault
2015 98 yard KR for TD @ Duke
Locked in a tight game, Vault took the opening kick of the 2nd half to the house… watch (then-RB) Warren Long’s monster block (not needed but completely appreciated) at the end!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0w1pUsI4r8
PR Riley Lees
2017 Punt Return for TD (that was wrongly called back) vs. Purdue
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0vWyKdkRuQ (sorry about the quality)
Coaching Staff
“Juice” Coach Alex Spanos vs. Minnesota in the frigid blizzard
The man we love became a viral sensation after this and here we learned of the saying, “if you’re juiceless, you’re useless!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6qKR730mjY (1:00 mark in video)
Go ‘Cats! Bring the Windy to Indy!
