1994 John Tyler vs. Plano East high school football game
Encyclopedia
On November 26, 1994, in a high school football
playoff game in Texas
, the Lions of John Tyler High School
defeated the Panthers of Plano East Senior High School
by the score of 48–44. The game drew national attention in the United States
due to its wildly improbable and tumultuous finish, with five touchdown
s scored in the last two and a half minutes (and seven in the last four and a half minutes), and it won the 1995 Showstopper of the Year ESPY Award
.
, with an attendance of more than 30,000. Both teams had a 12–0 record up to that point in the season, and they were known for defense: John Tyler was giving up only 14 points per game on average, while Plano East was giving up less than nine. Plano was ranked #2 in the state, and Tyler was ranked #3.
The first quarter ended in a 7–7 draw, but at halftime, the Lions had a 21–14 lead. In the third quarter, each team kicked a field goal, bringing the score to 24–17.
The Lions then scored a field goal early in the fourth quarter to make the score 27–17. Towards the end of the quarter, as the Panthers were first-and-goal, the ball was stripped from their quarterback and the resulting fumble
was returned 90 yards for a touchdown and a 34–17 lead with 4:24 remaining. On the fourth play of the Panthers' next possession, another fumble was returned 36 yards for a touchdown, giving the Lions a seemingly insurmountable 41–17 lead with only 3:03 remaining. Many fans had already headed for the exits.
) with 2:36 on the clock. The Panthers then successfully executed three onside kick
s in a row, recovering the ball each time and then driving down the field for a touchdown on each occasion. The first touchdown drive took six plays (the two-point conversion was good: 41–31 with 1:29 left); the second also took six plays (the two-point conversion failed: 41–37 with 0:56 left); the final one was completed in three plays (the one-point conversion
was successful), giving the Panthers a 44–41 comeback lead with only 24 seconds remaining.
, the Lions' returner Roderick Dunn caught the ball at his own three-yard line and took it 97 yards for a touchdown at 0:11 and a 48–44 Lions victory. He was the very same player who had muffed the reception of the final two onside kicks.
In their final very brief possession, the Panthers started on their 20-yard line on a touchback
and the game ended two plays later with an interception.
Between the two teams, 48 points (seven touchdowns) in total had been scored in the game's final four and a half minutes. The Lions' offense never touched the ball again after their field goal early in the fourth quarter: their team's final 21 points were scored by the defense and special teams
.
, an onside kick is usually done only under dire circumstances because it has a low probability of success — typically, the kicking team hopes that the opposing team will touch the ball but then fail to grasp it — and in the event of failure the opposing team obtains very favorable field position. Successfully carrying out three onside kicks in a row is extremely difficult and relies on luck, in that it usually requires cooperation (ie, ineptitude) by the opposing team.
Carrying out a rapid touchdown drive, without letting too much clock time elapse, is also rather challenging but certainly feasible; however, doing so four times in a row in only two and a half minutes is almost unheard of. Finally, returning a kickoff for a touchdown is also fairly rare.
Overall, a considerable number of statistically rare events all occurred together within the game's closing minutes.
27–7 in the Region II final, Arlington
45–20 in the state semifinals and Austin Westlake 35–24 in the state championship.
The game was originally broadcast locally on community-access
Plano TeleCable, but eventually aired nationally on ESPN2
. Play-by-play announcers Eddy Clinton and Denny Garver, accompanied by guest commentator Mike Zoffuto, got a modest amount of temporary fame for their colorful, folksy, and highly partisan commentary during the comeback, including "Bingo bango bongo", "Good gosh almighty", "Break out the Oreo
s, baby", and "I done wet my britches". The announcers were unpaid volunteers; Garver, who worked as a mailman, had never called a game before.
When Plano East took the lead, Garver jubilantly proclaimed "the greatest comeback of all time", but soon Zoffuto was repeatedly exclaiming "Oh, no" as the final touchdown return unfolded, and then "I don't believe it. God bless those kids, I am sick, I want to throw up."
The broadcast commentary became part of the game's lore, and Clinton and Garver appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Friday, December 16, 1994 and did many radio interviews. Some sources mention that they also received roles as announcers in the movie Varsity Blues
, reportedly at the suggestion of Jon Voight
who had heard the tape; however IMDb does not credit them in the list of cast or crew.
Zoffuto had been asked to be guest commentator because he was the coach of the Lake Highlands team, which would meet the game winner the following week. On that occasion his team lost 27–7 in what would turn out to be the final game of his eight years as Lake Highlands coach. It was Zoffuto who reacted with memorably vocal dismay on the broadcast as the final kickoff was returned for a touchdown, and in later years he would tease Clinton and Garver that they owed their post-broadcast fame to him. As a coach scouting his next opponent and obviously not an actual Plano East fan, he explained his reaction by saying, "I could see it developing and what was going to happen. I really felt bad for those kids and it just came out." On another occasion, he stated that his team had lost an earlier game to Plano East on a controversial call, and he had wanted a chance for a rematch.
The game was given the 1995 Showstopper of the Year ESPY Award
. In 2006, ESPN
ranked the game among its top 10 premature celebrations of all-time.
On the tenth anniversary of the game, a DVD entitled "The Greatest High School Football Game of All Time" was released by Eddy Clinton. The advent of Internet video sites like YouTube
added to the game's notoriety in later years.
The two teams did not meet again until 2006, when Plano East won 27–3.
Morris Anderson, quarterback
;
Roderick Dunn, kickoff returner;
Nico Hernandez, field goal kicker;
Marc Broyles, defense;
David Warren
;
Darwin Brown
;
Jesse Taylor;
Mickey Jones;
Taafee Hines;
Michael Price;
Quincy Stewart
Allen Wilson
, coach
complete list
Plano East
Jeff Whitley, quarterback
;
Jonathan Braddick, offense;
Terence Green, offense and kicker;
Robert Woods;
Rico Hall;
Kenny Reed;
Kevin Coit
Scott Phillips, coach
(also here and here; original URL)
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
playoff game in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, the Lions of John Tyler High School
John Tyler High School
John Tyler High School is a public, co-educational secondary school in Tyler, Texas. It is part of the Tyler Independent School District and serves 9th through 12th grade...
defeated the Panthers of Plano East Senior High School
Plano East Senior High School
Plano East Senior High School is a secondary school in Plano, Texas serving high school juniors and seniors. It is part of the Plano Independent School District....
by the score of 48–44. The game drew national attention in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
due to its wildly improbable and tumultuous finish, with five touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s scored in the last two and a half minutes (and seven in the last four and a half minutes), and it won the 1995 Showstopper of the Year ESPY Award
Showstopper of the Year ESPY Award
The Showstopper of the Year ESPY Award was presented annually from 1993 to 1999.-List of winners:-See also:*Best Moment ESPY Award*Best Play ESPY Award*GMC Professional Grade Play ESPY Award*Under Armour Undeniable Performance ESPY Award-References:*...
.
Game summary
The game was a Region II semifinal in class 5A Division II of Texas high school football and was played in Texas StadiumTexas Stadium
Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675...
, with an attendance of more than 30,000. Both teams had a 12–0 record up to that point in the season, and they were known for defense: John Tyler was giving up only 14 points per game on average, while Plano East was giving up less than nine. Plano was ranked #2 in the state, and Tyler was ranked #3.
The first quarter ended in a 7–7 draw, but at halftime, the Lions had a 21–14 lead. In the third quarter, each team kicked a field goal, bringing the score to 24–17.
The Lions then scored a field goal early in the fourth quarter to make the score 27–17. Towards the end of the quarter, as the Panthers were first-and-goal, the ball was stripped from their quarterback and the resulting fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
was returned 90 yards for a touchdown and a 34–17 lead with 4:24 remaining. On the fourth play of the Panthers' next possession, another fumble was returned 36 yards for a touchdown, giving the Lions a seemingly insurmountable 41–17 lead with only 3:03 remaining. Many fans had already headed for the exits.
Comeback
However, on a two-play 70-yard drive, the Panthers scored a touchdown to bring the score to 41–23 (after a failed two-point conversionTwo-point conversion
In American and Canadian football, a two-point conversion is a play a team attempts instead of kicking a one-point convert immediately after it scores a touchdown...
) with 2:36 on the clock. The Panthers then successfully executed three onside kick
Onside kick
In American and Canadian football, an onside kick is a type of kick used at a kickoff or other free kick, or scrimmage kick or other kick during play, in which the ball is kicked favorably for the kicking team to avoid giving away the ball...
s in a row, recovering the ball each time and then driving down the field for a touchdown on each occasion. The first touchdown drive took six plays (the two-point conversion was good: 41–31 with 1:29 left); the second also took six plays (the two-point conversion failed: 41–37 with 0:56 left); the final one was completed in three plays (the one-point conversion
Convert
The convert or try, in American football known as "point after", and Canadian football "Point after touchdown", is a one-scrimmage down played immediately after a touchdown during which the scoring team is allowed to attempt to score an extra one point by kicking the ball through the uprights , or...
was successful), giving the Panthers a 44–41 comeback lead with only 24 seconds remaining.
Ending
In a final twist, however, after the Panthers did a regular kickoffKickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...
, the Lions' returner Roderick Dunn caught the ball at his own three-yard line and took it 97 yards for a touchdown at 0:11 and a 48–44 Lions victory. He was the very same player who had muffed the reception of the final two onside kicks.
In their final very brief possession, the Panthers started on their 20-yard line on a touchback
Touchback
In American football, a touchback is a ruling which is made and signaled by an official when the ball becomes dead behind or above a goal line and the team who is attacking that goal line is responsible for the ball being there. Responsibility is determined by which team gave the ball the impetus...
and the game ended two plays later with an interception.
| John Tyler | 7 | 14 | 3 | 24 | — 48 |
| Plano East | 7 | 7 | 3 | 27 | — 44 |
Between the two teams, 48 points (seven touchdowns) in total had been scored in the game's final four and a half minutes. The Lions' offense never touched the ball again after their field goal early in the fourth quarter: their team's final 21 points were scored by the defense and special teams
American football positions
In American football, each team has eleven players on the field at one time. Because the rules allow unlimited substitution between plays, the types of players on the field for each team differ depending on the situation...
.
Analysis
In American footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, an onside kick is usually done only under dire circumstances because it has a low probability of success — typically, the kicking team hopes that the opposing team will touch the ball but then fail to grasp it — and in the event of failure the opposing team obtains very favorable field position. Successfully carrying out three onside kicks in a row is extremely difficult and relies on luck, in that it usually requires cooperation (ie, ineptitude) by the opposing team.
Carrying out a rapid touchdown drive, without letting too much clock time elapse, is also rather challenging but certainly feasible; however, doing so four times in a row in only two and a half minutes is almost unheard of. Finally, returning a kickoff for a touchdown is also fairly rare.
Overall, a considerable number of statistically rare events all occurred together within the game's closing minutes.
Aftermath
The Lions went on to win the 1994 state championship in 5A Division II, defeating Lake HighlandsLake Highlands High School
Lake Highlands High School is a secondary school serving grades 10-12 located in the Lake Highlands area of Dallas, Texas, United States, primarily serving the Lake Highlands community. The school is part of the Richardson Independent School District and is located centrally within Lake Highlands...
27–7 in the Region II final, Arlington
Arlington High School (Arlington, Texas)
Arlington High School, located in Arlington, Texas, is a secondary school serving grades 9-12. It is one of the six high schools comprising the Arlington Independent School District. The current principal is Jennifer Young; the mascot is the Colt and the schools’ colors are Kelly Green and White...
45–20 in the state semifinals and Austin Westlake 35–24 in the state championship.
The game was originally broadcast locally on community-access
Public-access television
Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
Plano TeleCable, but eventually aired nationally on ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
. Play-by-play announcers Eddy Clinton and Denny Garver, accompanied by guest commentator Mike Zoffuto, got a modest amount of temporary fame for their colorful, folksy, and highly partisan commentary during the comeback, including "Bingo bango bongo", "Good gosh almighty", "Break out the Oreo
Oreo
Oreo is a trademark for a popular sandwich cookie by the Nabisco Division of Kraft Foods. The current design consists of a sweet, white filling commonly referred to as 'cream' or 'creme', sandwiched between two circular chocolate or golden cookie pieces....
s, baby", and "I done wet my britches". The announcers were unpaid volunteers; Garver, who worked as a mailman, had never called a game before.
When Plano East took the lead, Garver jubilantly proclaimed "the greatest comeback of all time", but soon Zoffuto was repeatedly exclaiming "Oh, no" as the final touchdown return unfolded, and then "I don't believe it. God bless those kids, I am sick, I want to throw up."
The broadcast commentary became part of the game's lore, and Clinton and Garver appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Friday, December 16, 1994 and did many radio interviews. Some sources mention that they also received roles as announcers in the movie Varsity Blues
Varsity Blues (film)
Varsity Blues is a 1999 American drama/sport film directed by Brian Robbins that follows a small-town high school football team and their overbearing coach through a tumultuous season. The players must deal with the pressures of adolescence and their football obsessed community while having their...
, reportedly at the suggestion of Jon Voight
Jon Voight
Jonathan Vincent "Jon" Voight is an American actor. He has received an Academy Award, out of four nominations, and three Golden Globe Awards, out of nine nominations. Voight is the father of actress Angelina Jolie....
who had heard the tape; however IMDb does not credit them in the list of cast or crew.
Zoffuto had been asked to be guest commentator because he was the coach of the Lake Highlands team, which would meet the game winner the following week. On that occasion his team lost 27–7 in what would turn out to be the final game of his eight years as Lake Highlands coach. It was Zoffuto who reacted with memorably vocal dismay on the broadcast as the final kickoff was returned for a touchdown, and in later years he would tease Clinton and Garver that they owed their post-broadcast fame to him. As a coach scouting his next opponent and obviously not an actual Plano East fan, he explained his reaction by saying, "I could see it developing and what was going to happen. I really felt bad for those kids and it just came out." On another occasion, he stated that his team had lost an earlier game to Plano East on a controversial call, and he had wanted a chance for a rematch.
The game was given the 1995 Showstopper of the Year ESPY Award
Showstopper of the Year ESPY Award
The Showstopper of the Year ESPY Award was presented annually from 1993 to 1999.-List of winners:-See also:*Best Moment ESPY Award*Best Play ESPY Award*GMC Professional Grade Play ESPY Award*Under Armour Undeniable Performance ESPY Award-References:*...
. In 2006, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
ranked the game among its top 10 premature celebrations of all-time.
On the tenth anniversary of the game, a DVD entitled "The Greatest High School Football Game of All Time" was released by Eddy Clinton. The advent of Internet video sites like YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
added to the game's notoriety in later years.
The two teams did not meet again until 2006, when Plano East won 27–3.
Partial list of players
John TylerMorris Anderson, quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
;
Roderick Dunn, kickoff returner;
Nico Hernandez, field goal kicker;
Marc Broyles, defense;
David Warren
David Warren (American football)
David Warren is a former collegiate American football player from Tyler, Texas.-Biography:In 1994, he played for the John Tyler High School Lions team, which went 16–0 and won the 5A Division II state championship in Texas...
;
Darwin Brown
Darwin Brown
Darwin Brown is a former American football player. In 1999, he was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL Draft...
;
Jesse Taylor;
Mickey Jones;
Taafee Hines;
Michael Price;
Quincy Stewart
Quincy Stewart
Quincy Stewart is a former American football and Canadian football player. He played college football at Louisiana Tech University and high school football at John Tyler High School....
Allen Wilson
Allen Wilson (American football)
Allen Wilson is an American football coach. A highly successful high school coach, Wilson won two Texas state championships and amassed a 213-74-3 record. His teams are known for their smash-mouth running game....
, coach
complete list
Plano East
Jeff Whitley, quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
;
Jonathan Braddick, offense;
Terence Green, offense and kicker;
Robert Woods;
Rico Hall;
Kenny Reed;
Kevin Coit
Scott Phillips, coach
External links
(summary of the final minutes, with play-by-play commentary)- (reportedly) a 20-minute video of the game, referenced in http://forums.5atexasfootball.com/showthread.php?t=10182
(also here and here; original URL)