P.J. Fleck still can't believe Chris Autman-Bell's late fourth quarter TD catch

BleedGopher

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per Kevin:

You may not have seen it because the play happened past your bed time.

At least, the play happened at a time in which you should have been asleep. To close Saturday night and Week 2 in the Big Ten, Minnesota got a late start to its game at Fresno State out on the west coast.

In the fourth quarter, the Golden Gophers trailed the Bulldogs 28-21 with 46 seconds remaining. Minnesota faced a 4th-and-13 on the Fresno State 20-yard-line and went for it all. Quarterback Tanner Morgan looked Chris Autman-Bell’s way and flung the ball to the corner of the end-zone.

On Monday, two days after the incredible play, coach P.J. Fleck is still stunned at what took place late Saturday night:

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Go Gophers!!
 

Had I not been so tired, I probably would've been hopping around my living room more

Was great play.
 

Best throw and catch I can remember under the circumstances. I'm sure there have been others but with everything on the line that play, it was literally the ballgame if the pass fell incomplete. It looked to me like a stop'n go route where CAB faked a hitch and then took off. Tanner gave a quick shoulder fake at the hitch and then painted the corner of the endzone with the pass. The ball looked to have been released almost immediately after the hitch. Tanner had to trust CAB was going to make the play and boy, he did.

I've been a little bearish on Tanner and I still don't think he makes that throw last year, but he's shown a lot of improvement this fall.
 

Best throw and catch I can remember under the circumstances. I'm sure there have been others but with everything on the line that play, it was literally the ballgame if the pass fell incomplete. It looked to me like a stop'n go route where CAB faked a hitch and then took off. Tanner gave a quick shoulder fake at the hitch and then painted the corner of the endzone with the pass. The ball looked to have been released almost immediately after the hitch. Tanner had to trust CAB was going to make the play and boy, he did.

I've been a little bearish on Tanner and I still don't think he makes that throw last year, but he's shown a lot of improvement this fall.

I believe it was vs Fresno's top DB as well

It was one of those I could barely watch, I thought we were doomed and I was just being a glutton for punishment. Of course those finishes are why I stay until/watch the end
 

Had it been the first touchdown of the game it would have been an amazing catch. Considering what was on the line when that play was called and perfectly executed, I think it was gutty and awesome.
 


Best throw and catch I can remember under the circumstances. I'm sure there have been others but with everything on the line that play, it was literally the ballgame if the pass fell incomplete. It looked to me like a stop'n go route where CAB faked a hitch and then took off. Tanner gave a quick shoulder fake at the hitch and then painted the corner of the endzone with the pass. The ball looked to have been released almost immediately after the hitch. Tanner had to trust CAB was going to make the play and boy, he did.

I've been a little bearish on Tanner and I still don't think he makes that throw last year, but he's shown a lot of improvement this fall.

My thought exactly. Watching it on TV, I thought there is no way CAB got a foot down inbounds and hung on to the ball. Seeing the replay, I was stunned. Fun game to watch,especially the end.
 

The throw was perfect, the catch was perfect, and getting the foot down was perfect. Even with good coverage, there was only one person with a shot at that ball and he caught it.
 

My thought exactly. Watching it on TV, I thought there is no way CAB got a foot down inbounds and hung on to the ball. Seeing the replay, I was stunned. Fun game to watch,especially the end.
What is also amazing is that the ref also got it right...confirmed by replay. As bad a job and many missed calls and imagined infractions as there were all night long.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 

The camera angle on this, showing this foot so clearly in, was really awesome. No one can doubt he had his foot down which is amazing considering where his foot is.

I was so tired but so happy and then just nervous for the extra point attempt...I'm such a Minnesota fan. Yuck.
 



Best single throw and catch I've ever seen by the Gophers?

Maybe?
 

One of the real differences in the Fleck era is the exciting play making by the offense.

In past years a single dorkup and you could count on that drive being over.

Now we see they can bounce back, sometimes spectacularly.

It really gets the crowd going.
 

One of the real differences in the Fleck era is the exciting play making by the offense.

In past years a single dorkup and you could count on that drive being over.

Now we see they can bounce back, sometimes spectacularly.

It really gets the crowd going.

Fleck's teams, like every other team, are better when they aren't behind the chains (2nd and 9, 3rd and 7, etc) but I agree that in the past when the Gophers were 2nd and 14 after a penalty or something, that they weren't going anywhere. Now I expect a 9 yard slant and a manageable 3rd down. Its enjoyable to know we don't need things to go as planned to get first downs, touchdowns, extend drives, whatever.
 

That and the INT are just plays that it's so hard to believe they happened. I still sort of expect the refs to come out and say "... by rule..." and take the play away.
 



One of the real differences in the Fleck era is the exciting play making by the offense.

In past years a single dorkup and you could count on that drive being over.

Now we see they can bounce back, sometimes spectacularly.

It really gets the crowd going.


In summer I get bored and sometimes watch old gopher games on youtube or even highlights. Our passing offense was very blah Kill/Claeys era. Lot of max protect and 2-3 man routes, often a roll out and a pass to the flat.
 
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What is also amazing is that the ref also got it right...confirmed by replay. As bad a job and many missed calls and imagined infractions as there were all night long.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

I thought this as well. When it counted most, it appeared they got it right.
 

That was the most clutch touchdown by a Minnesota team since:

 





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