This past Saturday, the Utah Utes were routed 51-27 by the Oregon Ducks. The game was much closer than it appeared, especially early on in the first quarter. The key play occurred early in the second quarter when Utah’s Travis Wilson connected with Kaelin Clay for what appeared to be a 78 yard score. However, Clay never crossed the goal line with the ball; he dropped it on the one yard and not in the end zone. This led to Oregon’s Joe Walker to run the fumble a hundred yards for a touchdown. The 14-point swing was enough to completely change the momentum of the game: sapping it from Utah advancing the drive of Oregon. The Ducks would score 24 unanswered points in the second quarter, sealing the fate for the fourth ranked team in the country.
Kaelin Clay is not the first player to make an in game gaff like the one on Saturday night; DeSean Jackson and the infamous Leon Lett are the first two names to come to mind.
The incident this past week highlights a problem that has slowly emerged in the league ever since “Neon” Deon “Primetime” Sanders was drafted: some players are more concerned with showing off than actually producing. While it is understood that football is a sport driven by stars, like Peyton Manning, Richard Sherman, and Jamesis Winston, the desire to become a star should never outshine the desire to be a great player. Players who are considered “stars” did not rise to such heights by having the flashiest highlights or most ridiculous plays; rather, they earned that recognition through hard work and results.
One would hope that Clay learned his lesson about finishing plays and that this incident lights a fire under him so that he goes on to be a productive college player and professional. Prior to the fumble, Utah was imposing their will on Oregon. Had that touchdown stood, there may have been a very different outcome. Unfortunately, that Utah win will forever remain in the land of “what if…?”
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