One Frame At A Time: Northwestern Comment Count

Ace

Despite watching this approximately 457 times, I'm still in utter disbelief that this worked. Things required to have this happen:

  1. Jeremy Gallon immediately pitching the ball to an official.
  2. That official rugby-tossing the ball to the umpire.
  3. The umpire placing the ball down and getting the hell out of the way.
  4. FIRE DRILL LINE CHANGE.
  5. Drew Dileo, barely in the frame when the camera zooms out, realizing after a split-second hesitation that he must sprint to the right spot and slide into position.
  6. Jareth Glanda snapping the ball at the last possible moment so the line doesn't draw a flag.
  7. Brendan Gibbons marking off his steps at warp speed, then drilling a 44-yarder despite still moving backwards at the snap (which is legal, as covered in today's mailbag).

100% complete insanity, indeed.

If you're wondering about the identity of the guy in the black jacket running around like a manic behind the goalposts, that's Greg Dooley of MVictors. Livin' the dream, Greg.

[The rest of the Northwestern game in GIFS after THE JUMP, including Brady Hoke RAWKING OUT, Devin Gardner sacrificing life and rib, Derrick Green truck stick, and more angles of the miraculous field goal.]

As per usual, click the links/stills to open each GIF in a lightbox.

HONORABLE MENTION

Jehu Chesson crushes a punt returner (with bonus Norfleet trash talking). Joe Reynolds downs the punt. Brady Hoke reacts to the field goal by almost smiling. Northwestern's president(!) signals no good, is wrong. Taylor Lewan pancakes a guy on the first play of OT. Jibreel Black's essentially game-sealing sack.

10. Welcome Back, Thomas Gordon

Northwestern got a first down on this run, granted. Still, that's a heck of a play from Gordon, who came down from his one-high safety spot to drill Kain Colter just beyond the sticks on a 4th-and-2.

9. Fitz Sees The Future

That is the face of a man who has seen this movie before, and in this movie everybody dies.

8. Derrick Green Trucks Honor

Honor is pretty resilient.

7. #BUTTDOWN

A senior-level catch and a freshman-level celebration. The tag could be interpreted as "Buttdown" (like touchdown) or "Butt down" (post-celebration); Brian is going to have to live with this, as Jake Butt himself has totally embraced the fact that his last name is going to make him an internet sensation for as long as he plays.

6. Devin Gardner Sacrifices Life And Rib

A two-for-one here. First, the overtime touchdown; I took the replay from the postgame montage because it shows Gardner's face—somebody help me up, please—and him getting dragged to his feet by practically the entire offensive line.

Then, on the critical two-point conversion, he breaks contain, takes a glancing hit to the ribs, powers his way to the end zone, and collapses from a combination of exhaustion and SERIOUSLY OW MY RIBS.

I much prefer having this man at quarterback as opposed to the freshman who signaled for a spike before the last-second, fourth-down field goal.

5. Kevin Koger Helmetless Headbutt

Football players, current or former, are rather insane. Also, my favorite part of this GIF may be Cam Gordon smacking Gibbons upside the head—in a celebratory way, of course—when the latter clearly thought the worst was over.

4. Shank/Sad Fitz

A shanked punt is always hilarious as long as it's not your team doing it; making this one a thousand times better is Pat Fitzgerald frantically waving for someone to down the punt, watching it go out of bounds, and perfectly executing the sad Charlie Brown walk while his playcard dangles from his waist and discarded headset hangs from his shoulder. Obvious soundtrack is obvious.

3. BRADY F***ING HOKE WOULD LIKE TO F***ING GO FOR F***ING TWO

This is actually my favorite GIF of the week, though I must defer to the field goal. This is right after Michigan's touchdown in overtime; the offense starts walking off the field and Brady Hoke gently reminds them that they're required to go for two, in so many words. Oh, and he's throwing up the RAWK hand while saying at least one naughty word and tops it off with a tremendous flying Hokepoint. I can lip-read the first thing he says; if anybody can figure out the last part, I'm quite curious to know.

\m/

2. #DILEOPOWERSLIDE

With bonus Gibbons fist-pump.

FRAMES OF THE GAME

Was there really any question? I can't stop watching this.

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Comments

Bando Calrissian

November 19th, 2013 at 3:08 PM ^

And the guy in the white dress shirt standing in front of MVictors' Greg Dooley, waving off the field goal like his arms were magic fan blades of great football-deflecting power, is NU President Morty Schapiro. 

So there's that.

ijohnb

November 19th, 2013 at 3:26 PM ^

the troubles with last second field goal antics earlier this year, the refs just wanted to make sure that whatever happened, it was not going to be their fault.

This Buds for you, Mr. Superfast Referee  Football Spotter.

MGoManBall

November 19th, 2013 at 3:33 PM ^

The destroyer of men, Jehu Chesson hits the returner on the punt, falls to his knees, and then somehow activates his knee springs and drives through the returner without any kind of leverage whatsoever.

EDIT: And the player in the Pat Fitz' .gif has a shifty eye problem that would rival our own fan's.

SalvatoreQuattro

November 19th, 2013 at 3:36 PM ^

fans it still is nothing compared to what NU is going through. Hail Marys, miraculous last second kicks, blowing a late lead to OSU...this team has had it rough.

 

I like Northwestern and Fitzgerald. Yeah, his sideline gesticulations ae annoying, but NU plays hard and clean just like how the game is meant to be played. I feel for the kids on that team.

 

That said, that ending was incredible. It balances out the ridiculous PSU ending.

Hugh White

November 19th, 2013 at 3:41 PM ^

In case you hadn't realized, a "super" in the top-right hand corner of many of these GIFs features the important information that Tiebreaker would appear after the game.

DY

November 19th, 2013 at 9:21 PM ^

What is this Tiebreaker you speak of?

I kind of actually wanted to watch it after the game, but BTN beat it down our throats so much during the game, my friend immediately changed the channel in protest.

joeyb

November 19th, 2013 at 3:44 PM ^

I must be glancing over the conversation in the mailbag about Gibbons being allowed to move backwards before the snap. While that's true, the offense has to be set before he does that. Dileo and some of the linemen were still getting set as he started moving backward, which means that the offense wasn't set at all and it should have been a penalty.

It would have been the dickest of dick moves for them to call that penalty, though. I think they were all busy watching the line, which is why they didn't call it.

BILG

November 19th, 2013 at 3:46 PM ^

Love the Green run because we have seen so few successful down hill runs this year, can probably count them on 1 hand.  Oh, life would be so easy if runs like that occurred 10-12 times a game.  Next I like the Hoke pic...shows some serious passion despite the trials of the season.

MGoManBall

November 19th, 2013 at 3:47 PM ^

The officiating crew at the game must practice their last second field goal execution as well. I've never seen a group of officials move that efficiently with that amount of urgency to get the ball spotted. 

I would say most of the MGoPoints today should go to them. Well done.

UMQuadz05

November 19th, 2013 at 4:01 PM ^

Was he talking to Gardner?

"Go for #$#@%ing 2!!!  Devin!!"

 

Also, there was a loooot of movement on the right side of the line for the FG; can't believe nobody had a false start there.

EDIT:  Man, for a crappy game, there were a lot of outstanding GIFs.  I can't stop watching the shanked punt/sad Fitzgerald one.

nickb

November 19th, 2013 at 4:03 PM ^

I must acknowledge pulling off the successful field goal with few seconds left was an amazing feat. All the stars had to be perfectly aligned to work. It also took good coaching and perfect execution on the part of the players.