Deshaun Davis on fake FG

[aubiefifty 16,761]

Deshaun Davis: Georgia’s fake field goal up 17 was a ‘bullcrap call’

Updated 8:51 AM; Posted Nov 10, 10:43 PM

Watch Georgia's failed fake field goal vs Auburn

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By Tom Green | tgreen@al.com

tgreen@al.com

Deshaun Davis didn’t want to give an honest answer, but Auburn’s senior linebacker couldn’t help but somewhat speak his mind after Georgia attempted a fake field goal up 17 late Saturday night.

Needless to say, the trick play — which was unsuccessful as Rodrigo Blankenship’s pass intended for Isaac Nauta in the end zone fell incomplete — did not sit well with Davis and his Auburn teammates following their 27-10 loss to Georgia.

“That’s what they do,” Davis said. “I’m not going to give an honest statement, so — Kirby (Smart) got some words, so.”

The play in question happened with a about 3:20 remaining on the game clock at Sanford Stadium. No. 5 Georgia led No. 24 Auburn, 27-10, rattling off 21 unanswered points to take control of the 123rd installment of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.

Facing fourth-and-goal from the Auburn 14, Georgia lined up for a field goal, snapped the ball and ran the fake. The ball went straight to Blankenship, who had never attempted a pass in his Georgia career, who tried to heave it to Nauta, the Bulldogs’ tight end, who slipped off into the end zone.

The pass fell harmlessly to the ground, but it still irked Auburn’s sideline. Despite saying he didn’t want to be forthcoming with his feelings on the play, Davis — the unquestioned leader of Auburn’s locker room and the most media-friendly player on the team — expounded on his reaction to the Bulldogs’ attempt to run up the score in what was the senior linebacker’s final game in the rivalry.

“I mean, sometimes karma handles thing than you can,” Davis said. “I mean, that’s how they want to be remembered, that’s what they want to be known for, then—it was, in the words of (Gus) Malzahn, a bullcrap call. We shouldn’t be in that situation. I’ll just say that. I’ll revert back to the positives and revert back to us. If we’re not down 17 points, then maybe we don’t see that play. But y’all know the answer to that.”

When asked after the game why he called the fake field goal, Georgia coach Kirby Smart said, “why not?" according to The Athletic.

“Seventeen plus three is what? Twenty," Smart said. "Twenty is what? A three-score game and you lose. So what difference does a field goal make? Does it make it any more? If you don’t get it, they’re backed up. So the thought was they’re going to take three touchdowns to beat us. We get that.... It’s all about point differential.

“It was something that was well thought out long before it happened and talked about during the drive.”

For his part, Malzahn did not have much to say about the fake after the game.

“They coach their team and I coach ours,” Malzahn said. “I don’t have any comment on that.”

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

[AU64 10,122]

The old 'ball coach" once said something to the effect that "our job is to score points and their job is to try and stop us".....and it works in reverse.

Gotta disagree with our guy.....it's not UGa's job or even should it be an expectation that they should decide when to call off the dawgs.   I understand he was not happy about the loss....but that was not a good quote.   JMO

What did we score last year...something like 40?   

[Auburn2Eugene 2,317]

While it is the job of the defense to stop the offense, calling a fake field goal up by as many as they were with the time left on the clock, was a classless move by Smart. In no way am I defending Gus. I am defending the team. The players who play the game. 

It was entirety classless. Any way you try and spin it. You don't pass the ball up by 17 with almost no time left. You just don't. Karma is a b word. I hope it comes back and bites him. 

[Gowebb11 9,314]

Love DD, but its big boy ball. Gus enjoyed his “We beat the dog crap out of them” last year. What goes around comes around. Kirby has made it known that he is about winning championships, and will dominate and beat down rivals to accomplish it. 

[AURealist 2,185]

Which coach on staff is in charge of whining?  Seems he's at least accomplishing something...

[johnnyAU 3,630]

Total jack@$$ move by Kirby because he felt we tried to pass late with our backups in the game last season.

Let's hope he gets his own medicine by someone, preferably in Auburn next year.

[AUsince72 11,084]

I thought the fact that Auburn lost to thUga and often looked like garbage doing it was bull-crap.

Sure glad I don't live in GA anymore...

[80Tiger 899]

Kirby is trying to make the playoffs. Score if you can. 

[weagl1 1,782]

You don’t like it.  Step up and keep them out of field goal range.

[aubaseball 2,595]

How about stopping a 4th and 3 and keeping the other team from scoring a TD.    Sounds like a whiner.    Better than that, keep that feeling inside the locker room and take out on them next year.   That’s how you handle that chicken shi$ play

[AUCE05 369]

Now Davis knows how I felt when UGA was gashing our D on the ground.  

[DAG 33,977]

Welcome to big boy football. If it were me on the other side I would’ve went for 100

[JDUBB4AU 5,112]

14 minutes ago, aubaseball said:

How about stopping a 4th and 3 and keeping the other team from scoring a TD.    Sounds like a whiner.    Better than that, keep that feeling inside the locker room and take out on them next year.   That’s how you handle that chicken shi$ play

This . Or the other 97 3rd down conversions they made . Or the piss poor tackling . The fake field goal didn’t mean a thing . Being punked out by a very beatable team was . Quit whining Davis . 

[CodeRocket 410]

Honestly, I don't think anyone on this board can educate Deshaun Davis on "big boy football".  Really?

[gr82b4au 5,568]

I seem to remember Tubs scoring on a team late and the media let him have it. It was called unsportsmanlike. 

While it is our responsibility to stop the other team, there is a reason why coaches are not supposed to do this. 

[TigerOne 1,140]

1 hour ago, weagl1 said:

You don’t like it.  Step up and keep them out of field goal range.

I agree, they gave up sure three points by going for it. The defense stopped them quit bitching and don't let them get in a position to do it.

How is it any different if uat scores 6 td's against us? We are a soft poorly coached team that still fights till the end.

[AuburnEagle79 2,165]

Honestly though, why didn't Kirby just line up and score on us? He was trying to give Blankenship a big memory. We would've loved it if Daniel Carlson had thrown one on UGA. 

[Mike4AU 1,739]

Auburn has enough problems on its own without wasting any time and energy talking about a team trying to score on a fake field goal. Besides, that is just a deflection from the ineptness we are seeing.

[bmartin3228 117]

It was Bush , but if roles were reversed I would have loved it . I hate UGA more then any team. Living in Georgia an hour away from Athens , they have the same hate for Auburn. This game has always been like this . If there is a chance to embarrass, the chance will be taken in this game by either team. From hate and recruiting because we recruit so many of the same players. Davis is right , but should have been expected,  especially in this game. 

[corchjay 5,311]

It’s like bunting with 2 outs in the 9th down 6 and the pitcher has a no hitter going.  Frowned upon but who gives a crap in the end.  We had our chances.  

[gr82be 14,423]

I just don't see an issue with it. It's their job to score and our job to stop them. It's a rivalry game. Personally I can't be upset with them if it is something I'd get a kick out of if we did it to them or Bama. 

[AU-HANDLEY-TIGER 205]

Kirby is a you know what but honestly it’s only a big deal because you were owned just like most of the season idk maybe quit whining, practice , train get better?

[fredst 9,064]

It was total BS and everybody knows it. Whether we should have played better, stopped them from scoring, etc. is beside the point. I’m not defending our poor play or Gus’s total incompetence but nobody can argue that it was anything more or less than what it was: a classless, punk call by a classless punk coach. Say what you will but anybody with an ounce of sportsmanship doesn’t pull s*** like that. No worries- we’re down and have to take our lumps, no sense worrying about it. Will make it even sweeter when Kirby gets his ass handed to him....and he will; people remember crap like that and enjoy paying it back.

[autigeremt 6,599]

It was a bull**** call.....but that’s the way Georgia plays. I’ll be pulling for the turds in the SEC Championship game. I’d rather the crimson turds knock thUGA out so they can go back to polishing that 1980 championship trophy. It should be shinning bright by now.

[hooverwareagle1 32]

It was BS and for most teams it would piss them off and they would remember it the next time we played, but our guys never seem to get pissed off about anything.  1. If you have to find motivation to play UGA then something is wrong with you and 2. Team takes on the personality of their leader.  We are wussies.  UGA was glaringly bigger, stronger and tougher than us.  They would knock your head off and we arm tackle. Every time we made a tackle, their RB was falling forward. We just didn't  seem to have the heart to lay it on the line.  I think the team would follow Deshaun Davis to hell and back. Not sure there are many more of those on the team.  Too soft.