Virginia Tech pulled off the most chaotic fake punt of the 2023 college football season against Wake Forest on Saturday, to perfection. Everybody and their mother was fooled by the intentional mayhem.
Especially the camera operator!
The Hokies, up by seven, lined up to boot the ball away on 4th-and-6 from their own 49-yard-line. Peter Moore, a redshirt junior, set up at the 35.
Everything looked like it was going to be normal — but in the words of Lee Corso…
NOT SO FAST, MY FRIEND!
Virginia Tech ran a fake punt!
The Hokies snapped the ball and it went FLYING over Moore’s head.
He turned around and chased after the fumble.
Or did he?! Where was the ball?!
The snap actually went to defensive end Cole Nelson, who was lined up as a personal protector. The other two players lined up in the backfield got out in front to set a pair of crucial blocks.
Nelson had a huge hole through which to run.
And by the time he got through the gap, he was gone!
Nelson, at 6-foot-3, 247 pounds ended up going about 23 yards for the first down.
Everything about the play call was perfect. Nobody had any idea where the ball was at first. And once they did, it was too late. Thankfully, the cameraman was able to pick up on the fake before he zoomed in on Moore and missed the entire play.
Fortunately, Virginia Tech’s gutsy fake punt paid off. The Hokies weren’t able to score, but Nelson put them into field goal position and they put three on the board!