ASU nearly gives up Hail Mary TD at end of half to NAU
Sep 3, 2016, 10:03 PM | Updated: 11:44 pm
Arizona State's De'Chavon Hayes, right, shoves Northern Arizona's Emmanuel Butler (8) out of bounds just before the goal line as Northern Arizona's Delshawn McClellon (17) and Hunter Burton (87) and Arizona State's Armand Perry (13) watch during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona State had a poor first half against Northern Arizona, but it could have been much worse.
With only three seconds left and the team out of field goal range, NAU quarterback Case Cookus ran towards the sideline to give himself room to throw it deep. Lacking the time to properly step up, Cookus has to settle for getting himself squared up and throwing the ball as he’s falling down sideways.
This almost happened #NAUvsASU pic.twitter.com/ADywJm57ek
— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) September 4, 2016
At first glance, the ball was going to be in play around the 10-yard line, and with five Sun Devil defenders in range, it seemed like all hope was lost for the Lumberjacks.
Sophomore defensive back Kareem Orr provides a textbook example of why coaches always say to swat the ball down, as instead of doing just that, he went for the interception. Orr fails to come up with it and even worse, allows the ball to bounce back in the air to a wide-open Emmanuel Butler, who looks to have a chance to score.
Luckily for Arizona State, junior defensive back Maurice Chandler was paying attention and hustled back to push Butler out of bounds at the two-yard line before scoring.
