-- Wherein the barn is burned to the ground
Welcome to the semi-finals everyone! Here's how the final four looks after Team Newt upset the #1 seed Team Henderson.
Today's matchup brings the #4 seed Team Davis versus Team Newt, aka the Fighting Detmers.
Team Davis will rely on:
QB Steve Young DL Ryan Denney
RB Ronny Jenkins DL Lenny Gomes
RB Brian McKenzie LB Rob Morris
WR Jonathan Pittman LB Jordan Pendleton
WR Ben Cahoon DB Corby Eason
WR Matt Odle DB Omarr Morgan
TE Gordon Hudson
while Team Newt counters with:
QB Ty Detmer DL John Denny
RB Fahu Tahi DL Eathyn Manumaleuna
RB Vai Sikahema LB Butch Pau'u
WR Todd Watkins LB David Nixon
WR Mitch Mathews DB Michael Davis
WR JD Falslev DB Nate Soelberg
TE Dennis Pitta
For the semi-finals and the championship game I wanted to strip out some of my biases and ask the folks at Cougarboard who they thought had the better team. Here's the polling results for the Davis-Newt matchup. As we'll see with the other semi-final matchup, the Cougarboard illuminati regard the four teams fairly evenly. Also, the results of these polls will not determine the outcome. I just wanted to open my mind to additional reference points while recapping the matchups.
Location: Tax Commission Field
Odds: Team Davis -2
Over/Under: 62
What a quarterback showdown.
Steve Young once finished first nationally in passing yards, total yards, pass completion percentage, passing TDs, total TDs, and passer efficiency rating.
Ty once finished first nationally in passing yards, total yards, total TDs, and passer efficiency rating.
Ty finished first in Heisman voting. Steve was the first pick in the 1984 draft.
All that and Jim McMahon might have been better than both. Oh to have been alive in the 80s.
Ty and Steve look the part of all-timers in this semi-final matchup. Defenses are humiliated as Team Davis and Team Newt each score three TDs on their first three drives of the game.
For Team Davis the scoring plays come from a Young scramble, a Hudson catch, and a Jenkins rush. Team Newt continues to ignore the running game and scores on three Detmer strikes: one each to Pitta, Watkins, and Mathews.
Team Davis is the first team to be stopped on offense, thanks to an unlikely drop by Ben Cahoon on 3rd down, but they get the ball right back off an Omarr Morgan interception.
Coach Davis and Steve Young, with memories of last round's heroics in mind, call for the return of the option attack.
Fortunately for Team Newt, Butch Pau'u -- who by the way is playing at his 2016 weight instead of the inexplicable, chunky, 2018 weight that Tuiaki and company asked him to bulk up to -- and his running mate David Nixon remember the training they received from option-stopper Bronco Mendenhall in their original playing days. Nixon meets Young in the backfield, Young pitches to the running back, and Buth Pau'u smashes into McKenzie at just the right moment. The ball is knocked to the ground, bouncing around the sideline, where it's picked up by Michael Davis. There's not a soul between Davis and the endzone. Touchdown, Team Newt leads 28-21.
Young is upset on the next drive and takes it out on Gordon Hudson; or rather, uses Gordon Hudson to take it out on Team Newt. Young completes 5 passes on the drive, 3 of which go to Hudson, including the 21-yard TD pass that ties things up at 28 going into halftime.
Second Half Recap
The highest scoring game of the tournament only gets wilder in the second half. Team Newt kicks off and Ronney Jenkins promptly says, "See ya." Jenkins has time to wave to the accounting nerds in the home crowd as he blows by all comers for a 95-yard touchdown return. Trailing 35 to 28, Ty Detmer responds instantly: his second pass of the third quarter is a 59-yard TD to Todd Watkins. Going back to the fumble return there have been four touchdowns in the last 9 plays.
Coach Newt directs the kickoff to McKenzie's side of the field this time around. McKenzie takes the kick, veers right, and reverses it to Jenkins! Jenkins is at the 50, the 40, he's knocked out of bounds at the 28. On the next play Young sends Jonathan Pittman on a corner route and Pittman hauls in the scoring grab. It's 42-35 for Team Davis. We've now had 5 touchdowns in the last 11 plays.
On the sideline Detmer is getting flashbacks to the 52-52 San Diego State showdown of yesteryear. Thank goodness this tournament has overtime rules, he thinks. San Diego State led 45-17 at one point in that famous game. No such comeback would be required this time around, but consistent scoring would be. Which reminds me of a fun story about that game. In Jack Murphy Stadium, the SDSU and opponents' coaching boxes are positioned such that the offensive coordinator of one team can see into the box of the other. Curtis Johnson, the receivers coach for SDSU tells it like this: "We could see the BYU coaches, and it seemed like every time we would score, they would score.Then the BYU coaches would look at us like, ‘What are you going to do next?’ Then we’d look at them like, ‘Now it’s your turn.’"
That pretty much summarizes the remainder of this matchup, although Ty's next drive is an exercise in patience compared to the insane pace of scoring. It's a 6 play drive with the running backs and tight end catching all throws, the scoring strike a play action drop off to Pitta. It's 42-42.
Team Newt's next kickoff ... isn't a kickoff. It's an onside kick that scrappy JD Falslev recovers! He's come so far since he failed to recover a normal kickoff against Utah in the great 2011 rivalry game debacle.
Meanwhile Coach Newt knows what to do after a sudden switch in possession. Ty knows what to do. Todd Watkins knows what to do. Even Coach Davis knows what to do. But that doesn't mean he can stop it. Ty drops back and sends the ball skyward as Jordan Pendleton applies late pressure. Omarr Morgan does an admirable job, but it's not enough. It's a perfect 53-yard TD bomb to Todd Watkins from Ty Detmer. 49-42 Team Newt. We're still in the third quarter folks.
Steve Young and company stay patient. Pittman is a solid receiver but Team Davis doesn't have a lightning-strike threat a la Watkins. At least not in the passing game; the running game is a different story. After Young completes a pass to Cahoon it's first and ten from the Team Davis 39. Or as Ronney Jenkins likes to call it, first and goal. It's another option play but for the first time all tournament Young gives the ball to the dive man instead of running outside. Team Newt's defense is completely fooled and Jenkins scores a 61-yard TD run right up the middle. 49-49.
As the fourth quarter begins the scoring continues. Ty is humming at 1990 Miami levels, no, at 1989 Utah levels, as he hits Pitta for yet another touchdown. Young comes right back with his own tight end touchdown pass. Will anyone's defense make a stop? Not yet. Ty's been watching Young make plays with his feet all day and wants to prove he's no slouch in the running department either. He breaks away for a 24-yard gain much to the shock of the Davis defensive line. Then he picks up 11 more just for the fun of it on the next down. These offenses are just goofing around at this point. Sikahema finishes the drive with a 3-yard TD run. It's 63-56 for Team Newt.
Team Davis wants to give his defense a rest, so he kills some clock on the next drive with a bevy of running plays. Pittman and Hudson even get in on the ball carrying, with a reverse to Pittman and a fullback dive with Hudson playing the part of the bruising runner. Along with McKenzie, Jenkins, and Young, Team Davis has 5 players run the ball on this drive.
Which brings us to a minute and 20 seconds left with Team Davis on the 11-yard line. Coach Davis wants this to be the final drive of regulation. He calls for time-killing QB sneaks on first and second down, letting the clock drain 30 seconds after both plays. Coach Newt doesn't call timeout. Both coaches are gambling. With 15 seconds left Young passes into the endzone and it's incomplete. It's 4th down with 9 seconds left.
Young takes the snap and pitches to McKenzie. He rolls right, then stops -- it's the same play BYU used to win the 1983 Holiday Bowl! McKenzie throws it back to Young who scores!
On the sideline Coach Davis holds up two fingers. The crowd stirs. There will be no overtime this day.
Young takes the snap from the shotgun. He barrels toward the line of scrimmage. A mass of bodies converge at the goal line. Young jumps, he extends his arm, the officials rush in from the sidelines to get a better view ... they extend their arms, the conversion is good! Team Davis is headed to the championship game!
Final Score
Team Davis: 64
Team Newt: 63
Player of the Game:
Steve Young 31/40, 401 yards, 4 TDs; 9 rushes, 60 yards, 1 TD; 1 reception, 8 yards, 1 TD
Meanwhile Coach Newt knows what to do after a sudden switch in possession. Ty knows what to do. Todd Watkins knows what to do. Even Coach Davis knows what to do. But that doesn't mean he can stop it. Ty drops back and sends the ball skyward as Jordan Pendleton applies late pressure. Omarr Morgan does an admirable job, but it's not enough. It's a perfect 53-yard TD bomb to Todd Watkins from Ty Detmer. 49-42 Team Newt. We're still in the third quarter folks.
Steve Young and company stay patient. Pittman is a solid receiver but Team Davis doesn't have a lightning-strike threat a la Watkins. At least not in the passing game; the running game is a different story. After Young completes a pass to Cahoon it's first and ten from the Team Davis 39. Or as Ronney Jenkins likes to call it, first and goal. It's another option play but for the first time all tournament Young gives the ball to the dive man instead of running outside. Team Newt's defense is completely fooled and Jenkins scores a 61-yard TD run right up the middle. 49-49.
As the fourth quarter begins the scoring continues. Ty is humming at 1990 Miami levels, no, at 1989 Utah levels, as he hits Pitta for yet another touchdown. Young comes right back with his own tight end touchdown pass. Will anyone's defense make a stop? Not yet. Ty's been watching Young make plays with his feet all day and wants to prove he's no slouch in the running department either. He breaks away for a 24-yard gain much to the shock of the Davis defensive line. Then he picks up 11 more just for the fun of it on the next down. These offenses are just goofing around at this point. Sikahema finishes the drive with a 3-yard TD run. It's 63-56 for Team Newt.
Team Davis wants to give his defense a rest, so he kills some clock on the next drive with a bevy of running plays. Pittman and Hudson even get in on the ball carrying, with a reverse to Pittman and a fullback dive with Hudson playing the part of the bruising runner. Along with McKenzie, Jenkins, and Young, Team Davis has 5 players run the ball on this drive.
Which brings us to a minute and 20 seconds left with Team Davis on the 11-yard line. Coach Davis wants this to be the final drive of regulation. He calls for time-killing QB sneaks on first and second down, letting the clock drain 30 seconds after both plays. Coach Newt doesn't call timeout. Both coaches are gambling. With 15 seconds left Young passes into the endzone and it's incomplete. It's 4th down with 9 seconds left.
Young takes the snap and pitches to McKenzie. He rolls right, then stops -- it's the same play BYU used to win the 1983 Holiday Bowl! McKenzie throws it back to Young who scores!
On the sideline Coach Davis holds up two fingers. The crowd stirs. There will be no overtime this day.
Young takes the snap from the shotgun. He barrels toward the line of scrimmage. A mass of bodies converge at the goal line. Young jumps, he extends his arm, the officials rush in from the sidelines to get a better view ... they extend their arms, the conversion is good! Team Davis is headed to the championship game!
Final Score
Team Davis: 64
Team Newt: 63
Player of the Game:
Steve Young 31/40, 401 yards, 4 TDs; 9 rushes, 60 yards, 1 TD; 1 reception, 8 yards, 1 TD
Other Noteworthy Performances (of which there were many)
Ty Detmer 36/50, 513 yards, 7 TDs
Todd Watkins 11 receptions, 194 yards, 3 TDs
Ronney Jenkins 14 rushes, 112 yards, 1 TD; 236 kick off return yards, 1 TD
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