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8-Lateral Score a Reminder That Teams Can Practice for Wild Plays, to a Point

By now, the eight-lateral kick return for Miami’s winning touchdown over Duke last weekend has joined California’s five-lateral “Play to Beat the Band” against Stanford in 1982 in college football lore.

Is there actually a way to prepare plays like that?

Coaches say end-of-the-game plays can be drawn up and practiced, but the preparation really does not mean much in the heat of the moment. Think of it as more like organized chaos.

“At some point, it’s all hell broke loose, and someone’s got to run out there and make a play,” Tennessee’s special-teams coordinator, Mark Elder, said.