USD Football 1991

1991 AT&T LONG DISTANCE AWARD AT&T brings you another great long distance connection. "It's designed to come down to Phelan, who tips the ball to someone else. But if it hits you in the chest, you catch it." That's exactly what happened, as Phelan, Flutie's best friend and room- mate, corralled the ball despite being surrounded by six defenders.

Webster doesn't have enough adjec- tives to appropriately describe Doug Flutie's long distance connection with Gerard Phelan on Nov. 24, 1984. To those rooting for Boston College that day, the improbable final play fell into the "last-gasp", "Hail Mary", "desper- ation-heave" category. Fans of victim Miami, though, might have describe d the ending as "heart- breaking", "gut-wrenching", or "lucky". The record books forever will show the score, Boston College 47, Miami 45, and list a lot of impressive offensive stats. It will be left to videotape, though, to cap- ture the fantastic finish. The high-scoring affair appeared to have been decided when Hurricane run- ning back Melvin Bratton scored his fourth touchdown, a 1-yard plunge, to give 12th-ranked Miami a 45-41 advan- tage with 28 seconds remaining. Greg Cox kicked off into the end zone, forcing the 10th-rated Eagles and their magical Flutie to start from their own 20. "We've got at least four plays," Flutie told his troops. "Let's get the ball out near midfield and put one up in the end zone." Flutie, destined to win the '84 Heisman Trophy, began the drive with a 19-yard completion to Troy Stradford. Then hit Scott Gieselman with a 13-yard pass, putting the Eagles on Miami's 48. Although obviously nervou s, the Hurricane fans who filled the Orange Bowl relaxed a bit knowing that a field goal would do no good. The Eagles needed a TD, and likely two comple- tions to get one. Flutie's incompletion with six seconds left seemed to seal a Miami victory. With the game's outcome on his shoulders, the 5-9 Flutie then produced his most memorable moment. He took the snap, drifted back between his own 35- and 40-yard lines, and unleashed a bomb toward the end zone. "The play was called a flood tip," then Boston College coach Jack Bicknell said.

"Doug threw a rocket," Phelan said. "I just held that thing against my shoulder pad like it was my first-born." Flutie (34-of-46, 472 yards, three TDs) and Miami counterpart Bernie Kosar (25-of-38, 447 yards, two TDs) shattered the NCAA record for two players each passing for 250 yards or more in the same game. The game will be remembered, how- ever, for one long play. "Somebody was definitely listening to us," Bicknell said, "because we needed that one." AT&Thonors Division I-A players in six Long Distance football categories, by contributing to their res pective school's General Scholarship Fund. At the conclusion of the season, AT&T will present long Distance Awards and scholarship donations based on sea- son-long statistics. At AT&T, we honor players who've reached their goals on the field and we help others reach their goals off the field. Look for announcements in your local paper each week to see if your favorite players win the AT&T Long Distance Awards.

A hero many times in his college career, Doug Flutie reached newheights against Miami in 1984.

LONG DISTANCE LEADERS 11

1990

PASSING YARDS PER GAME RECEIVING YARDS PER GAME David Klingler, Houston________.467.27 Patrick Rowe, San DiegoState______126.55 Ty Detmer, BrighamYoung,_______ 432.33 AaronTurner. Pacific 114.91 Troy Kopp, Pacific_________ .367.88 Herman Moore,Virginia 108.18 Dan McGwire. San DiegoState______ .348.45 Andy Boyce, BrighamYoung.... 103.42 Craig Erickson, Miami ..........................................................305.73 Dennis Arey, San Diego State... ......................................101.64

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