I jumped into this piece expecting to craft a story about a madman with a magic football formula. I expected to pass along stories of improvisation, outlandish sideline charades, peculiar play-calling vernacular and moments of accidental genius. That was the genesis of the idea.
However, after speaking to those who executed Les Miles’ wizardry over the years, it became increasingly apparent that these preconceived notions were certifiably false.
Still, along the way, I unearthed the Mad Hatter’s top-secret formula for executing the unthinkable calls—the fake field goals, the fake punts, the fourth downs. All of them.