re: Max's blind, over the shoulder throw against UCLA

This is a dumb take. We were in FG range and Max pulled that crap and there were 3-4 UCLA defenders right that that could've picked it as well compared to one LSU WR. It was a stupid move and in my opinion shows Max isn't as calm and collected as everyone thinks. He panicked and could've cost the team points for no reason. If he does something stupid like that again, then we need to go with Nuss.

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No.

It was ridiculous thinking, it was out of fear and confusion, and by no means should it be "celebrated".

And, "quick thinking and execution"??? That's laughable.

He had time to determine the play was a bust, so instead of possibly compounding the problem by throwing a no look, behind-the-back pass...he should've taken the sack and lived to fight another day. He got extremely lucky it wasn't picked, or was a pick-6.

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To say it was a risky throw would be a complete understatement. That said, I DON'T think it was done without a basis in a split second decision.

The play was 3rd and 2 at the UCLA 15. LSU is down 24-17. Johnson gets the snap in the shotgun at the 20. He drops back to the 24 where a UCLA defender starts to crawl/dive at Johnson's feet. He then turns to his left to try to roll away from the guy at his feet to his right. In doing so he's retreating back to the 28 yard line fast at this point. He then tries to turn back to his right...only to find a defender there immediately at the 29. It's there where he flings the ball.

HOWEVER, I don't think he did so with any intention of trying to complete the pass whatsoever. Rather, he was trying to throw the ball away and avoid big sack and loss of yardage on 3rd down knowing that, when they snapped the ball, LSU was in FG range.

Mind you, all of this is happening in a matter of seconds. He doesn't know how far he has retreated from the LOS....just that he has retreated pretty far (nearly 15 yards). If he takes a sack it turns a 33 yard FG into a 47 yard FG. Certainly 47 is within York's range, but you'd always want a shorter FG over a longer one and he doesn't know how far he's retreated.

So yes, while he was lucky the throw did not end in disaster and something I'm sure he was told to never do again, I don't think he did it without a reason. He was trying, perhaps unnecessarily, to avoid a big loss of yardage to keep his team in FG range. Given that York has a big leg CLEARLY the risk FAR outweighed the reward there. But while you say he should have taken the sack and "lived to fight another day", you are saying that as a guy watching the game on TV. In his mind he's not sure exactly how far he has retreated from the original LOS and, with it being 3rd down there may not be "another day" in terms of a FG attempt if he has just taken a massive loss on the play.

He literally said himself he was trying to throw it out of bounds. So no, he didn’t know where Jaray was.

In every sense of word, bad.

Max is solid. Carry on.

Don’t do that again.

There's almost no way he would have known that anyone would be there, because he didn't even look. Jenkins was only in the vicinity because, when the QB is being chased backwards, receivers are supposed to run back toward the QB to give him a chance. There were more UCLA players in the area, by a long shot, and there is no way that play deserves a compliment.

No offense to Max, who I'm sure is a great kid, but that was probably THE worst decision I have ever seen a QB make.

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No offense to Max, who I'm sure is a great kid, but that was probably THE worst decision I have ever seen a QB make.

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that's shite you see in an intramural or beer belly league game, maybe, sign of mental weakness, defeat, and desperation, that anyone on here is defending it or rationalizing it just reinforces the collective delusionalness of this place

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While ill advised, it looks like Max knew exactly where JaRay was located and he was coming back toward the line.

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It was NOT ill-advised. It was a great play that saved a big negative play. I have been harder on Max than almost anyone (note: my man-sense in leaving out his last name) and I think Max played poorly. However, that was a great play.

Should’ve been pulled out right then!

No that’s the kind of crap a kid does on the playground when they are tired of being tackled. It was literally the worst passes I’ve ever seen by Quarterback greater than the 7th grade football. We had names for kids who did that on the playground in my day. Hint: they have feathers.

OP must’ve watched this moronic play breakdown.
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