A Clutch Win for John Beck - Finally

Four years ago in his first game as a collegiate starter, John Beck stood 18 yards from the endzone facing a fourth and goal against the Stanford Cardinal. With time remaining for only one play, and needing a touchdown to win, Beck dropped back, searched for a receiver and released the ball. "It would have been nice to start out with a win like that," Beck later said.

As it turned out his pass touched nothing but grass and John Beck walked away with the first of what would prove to be many painful, late game losses during his four years as a Cougar QB. The next year he'd drive to UNLV's 10 yard line with a chance to win on the final drive only to again be stopped short. The next year he'd be on Utah's 21 yard line with a chance to win in overtime and ... nothing. The next year he'd be on Boston College's 15 yard line when a tipped interception ended the game. Similar breakers of heart would transpire against Boise State in '04 (1 point loss), TCU in '05 (1 point loss), and Arizona in '06 (3 point loss).

So close so many times, yet never clutch victors. Until now. 

Somehow, once again, going against a Utah team that they were supposed to leave in stretchers, Beck faced a last play to win or be remembered forever as the strong-armed quarterback who couldn't conquer the big game. The Cougars had marched 76 yards in 1:23 seconds, even converting on a fourth and 7 to place themselves in a potential winners position. But now there were only three seconds left, and the Cougars found themselves 13 yards away from victory. The team had seen this before. If they fell here it would only add to the sad legacy of Cougar rallies that had been crippled by one simple mistake. 

This time, however, there would be no game ending interception thrown, no last second field goal gone awry. And why not? Because every now and again players are blessed with a little bit of magic and this day the duo of Jonny Harline and John Beck had it. On the first play of the game the senior tight end made a 25 yard one handed catch with a Ute defender riding him the whole way. The next passing play was also to him, a 12 yard toss good for another first down. Later, in the first quarter he caught one and took it to the house, his 9th touchdown of the season. 

In the third quarter with the Cougars in need of a score he brought in another one hander; he first tipped the ball to himself, then while falling with Ute corner Eric Weddle right on his side, he pulled it in. On any other day it would have been the play of the game but there was more to come from the former Orem High star. At one point during BYU's last drive they needed seven yards to convert on fourth down. Was there any question of who that pass would go to? Of course Beck hit Halrine again, this time a 17 yarder which kept their last hope alive, and thus the stage was set. 

Three seconds left. A touchdown for BYU meant an undefeated conference season, the snapping of a 4 game losing streak to the U, and a chance at redemption for the multitude of of close losses this group had suffered. On the other hand, a defensive stop for the U meant skidmarking the Cougar season, demoting their rivals from the top 25, and owning the state crown for the fifth year in a row. If I were Kyle Whittingham I'd have assigned four guys to cover Harline on that last play. Maybe I'd have hired a hit man to take him out before breaking for the huddle. Even then, I doubt it would have been enough. Not on a night like this. 

At the snap the Utes dropped 8 of their 11 players into coverage hoping to clog all passing lanes. The scheme worked; Beck waited and waited and waited, finding no one open. After initially drifting to the left, Beck scrambled back to the right. The 11 Ute defenders, the 40,000 in attendance, and maybe the entire television audience followed him -- every one except Jonny. With the Utes a half second away from a game-sealing sack John Beck threw across his body to the opposite side of the field. Maybe the football gods felt they owed one to the oft-maligned QB, for hovering inside the goal line, waiting on his knees, was Harline. John the QB found Jonny the TE and on the Cougar sideline not a soul stood still. Bronco Mendenhall, the second year coach, the man responsible for the Cougar turnaround, ran with his troops to the corner of the endzone where Harline was buried by his teammates.

Naturally I missed all of it. 

I was in Chile when I learned what had happened, waiting in line at a bank, reading through my dad's email recap. They'd broken the streak. Was this the happiest moment of my mission? Of course not. 

The happiest moment came a month later knocking doors when a friendly Chilean took pity and loaned us his HDMI cord, which we used to watch the DVD of the game my dad had mailed. To that random Chilean who opened his door to people from a different country, missionaries even, on CHRISTMAS DAY of all days, and figured "why not?" after we asked for technical equipment, I say thank you good sir and Go Cougars.