Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.sports From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Terps' win one for books Date: Mon, 26 Oct 92 14:37:03 EST Message-ID: \SE C;SPORTS \HD Terps' win one for books \BY Dave Mackall \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES As games go, this one was for the ages. In a matter of seconds Saturday, Maryland turned what appeared to be another loss into its second victory of the season. It happened that fast. "I just absolutely went wild," Maryland coach Mark Duffner said after the Terps' come-from-behind 27-25 victory over Duke in Durham, N.C. Quarterback John Kaleo hit wide receiver Marcus Badgett on a 38-yard desperation pass for a touchdown on the game's final play. It followed a 51-yard completion on third down from the Maryland 11 with 13 seconds remaining. After Badgett's final catch, Duffner said, "I jumped up; I probably had about a 40-inch vertical jump. I looked down on the ground and my watch had fallen off. I grabbed every white jersey I could find and squeezed them till they popped. It's excitement at its highest level. I'm so proud that they've been able to feel this joy, too." In the Terps' media guide, publicist emeritus Joe Blair lists his choices for the top games of all time at Byrd Stadium. If Saturday's electrifying victory had been at Byrd, it would receive serious consideration for the top of that list. "It was a miracle play," Kaleo said. "[But] that's the game of football - competition. When you're down and out and your back's against the wall, great things happen. It was like the miracle pass Doug Flutie threw. It's just a dream come true. I don't know what to say." And neither did most everyone else. "It's a play that we worked on a little bit, but I still ran it wrong," Badgett said. "I was supposed to run inside." The reason for the mix-up was because Maryland's no-huddle, run-and-shoot offense is designed for plays to be called at the line of scrimmage. Although a crowd of less than 18,000 was at the game - and probably many by that time already had departed - Badgett said it was hard to hear the call, since the Terps' late rally had the remaining fans on their feet. "He didn't get the call, and I was supposed to throw it down the middle between the goal posts," Kaleo said. "But then, I looked over and saw where he was, and all the Duke defenders went to the middle expecting a tipped ball, and it was just him and that little cornerback [Jamal Ellis] on that side. "I was ready to get hit [by an onrushing Duke lineman] and threw it as high and as far as I could . . . Marcus has good leaping ability, so I knew all I had to do was throw it real high and he would come down with it." Kaleo was right as Badgett snatched the ball in front of several Duke defenders, including Ellis, the closest of the group. "The ball looked like it went up and touched the clouds," Badgett said. "It looked so small, I was waiting for it to come down. I think [Ellis] was kind of excited, too, and he slipped and I just happened to jump as high as I could in front of him." Badgett denied making contact with Ellis, although Ellis said someone pushed him from behind. "There wasn't any contact, none," Badgett said. The Terps, who again blew a fourth-quarter lead after going ahead 21-13 at halftime, finally used the big play to their advantage instead of letting the big play beat them. "Our offense in the second half just couldn't quite get it going," Duffner said, "but we got it going when we had to at the end." This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM