Is Lee Corso Right?
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I was there, and listening to Ufer make the call on that awesome Johnny Wangler pass play to Anthony the Darter Carter.
As I recall on the lead up play, Leroy Hoard made a nice sweep run around the left end and got the ball to around the midfield or so area .... time was about to expire, so he lateraled (or "fumbled") the ball out of bounds to stop the clock ... allowing that memorable last play.
Corso went crazy on the sidelines as the Big House erupted. Probably was "illegal", but not called. I was watching Game Day this morning without sound at my gym when Corso recalled the story (they were discussing the game ending play last week) ... so I don't know what year Corso said it was, but ... it was as you recall, 1979.
As I recall on the lead up play, Leroy Hoard made a nice sweep run around the left end and got the ball to around the midfield or so area .... time was about to expire, so he lateraled (or "fumbled") the ball out of bounds to stop the clock ... allowing that memorable last play.
Corso went crazy on the sidelines as the Big House erupted. Probably was "illegal", but not called. I was watching Game Day this morning without sound at my gym when Corso recalled the story (they were discussing the game ending play last week) ... so I don't know what year Corso said it was, but ... it was as you recall, 1979.
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IU lost to Michigan by 21 points in 1981 --- unless Michigan scored a touchdown and the refs credited U-M with 28 points, I don't think anything "illegal" really affected that game. 
I think Corso just got the year wrong.
I think Corso just got the year wrong.Link to the "video" of that play --- the broadcast itself, unfortunately, is not very good at all, but it's something. 2:35 mark.
Not to nit-pick, but Lawrence Reid was the player, not Leroy Hoard. I was starting to feel VERY old and hoping that Hoard wasn't correct, because I can remember Hoard playing at Michigan.
Well, I am old, older than dirt .... for some reason, my fossilized brain came up with Leroy. But I do remember that play getting the ball out of bounds that Corso went nutso over, thanks for the link.
That play happened right in front of me. Reid had nowhere to go and he just shoveled the ball out of bounds. IIRC it was not illegal then but it led to a rules change.
Even though the last play of that game is one of the most storied in Michigan history, overall the game was a poor performance by M. (Although - this also may have been Corso's best Indiana team.) I remember that all I could think about for the next week was how poorly we played and how lucky we were to escape with a W.
Even though the last play of that game is one of the most storied in Michigan history, overall the game was a poor performance by M. (Although - this also may have been Corso's best Indiana team.) I remember that all I could think about for the next week was how poorly we played and how lucky we were to escape with a W.
It was 1979 not not 1981. Leroy Hoard played 10 years later. The RB who illegally tossed the ball right into Corso's arms was Lawrence Reid, #23. He was a good player who made a smart play. The refs either didn't make the call or it wasn't illegal at that time.
It wasn't Leroy Hoard, it was Mike Hart fumbling out of bounds (Jeremy Gallon almost got to it but Benny Joppru got in the way) and Anthony Carter was actually the second option behind Tai Streets getting the ball, who was closely covered. I'm pretty sure that's the game that Rich Rod, who was a ball boy at the time, swore he'd coach at UM one day (that really worked out well).
It was really their first mediocre season under Bo mostly because they no longer had an athlete like Leach to run Bo's conservative run-option game. Wangler was a fine QB, but really did not fit well into Bo's mindset. It took about another five years until you-know-who arrived for UM to transition into a power run/power passing team and not until Bo retired did they finally settle into having pure drop back QBs.
