The quarterback sneak made a strange comeback for USC in the fourth quarter of a 30-27 loss to Washington State on Friday evening.
After Ronald Jones II was tackled right at the sticks on second down, USC hurried to the line. Quarterback Sam Darnold squatted under center. The play, previously abandoned even in short yardage, worked the way it was supposed to. Darnold burrowed into the line and gained a yard.
There was one problem: It was actually first down. USC hadn’t seen that the officials had moved the chains.
The play was a fitting addition to an evening when USC’s offense was already disheveled, disoriented and, in its play calling, disorganized.