Tunsil's touchdown symbolic of Rebels' current state
NEW ORLEANS -- In chaos theory, the butterfly effect states that one small change can result in a much larger difference, and had Chad Kelly not scrambled for 24 yards on third-down-and-16, what is almost assuredly going to be one of the most memorable plays in Ole Miss bowl game history might never occur.
Following a pass interference penalty, the Rebels (10-3, 6-2 in SEC) were leading the Oklahoma State Cowboys (10-3, 7-2 in Big XII) 27-6 while facing a first and goal with only five seconds reaming in the first half. Rather than elect to take the field goal to make the score differential four score, Hugh Freeze had something else in mind.
“I had a good feel for what they would be in,” Freeze said. “And I knew if we could them in double-edge pressure man, that, you know, (Tunsil) would be accounted for. And it’s something we worked for a couple of years.”
Ole Miss started with a seemingly normal formation before signaling to send both tight ends, Evan Engram and Hunter Thurley, from the left side of the formation to the right while making Laremy Tunsil the end man on the line. Kelly then motioned for Jaylen Walton to come in motion before sprinting out to his right and narrowly escaping the grasp of Oklahoma State defensive tackle Motekiai Maile before finally throwing a backwards pass to Tunsil who walked into the end zone behind fellow offensive linemen Ben Still and Aaron Morris.
“The thing is to stay back (behind the line of scrimmage),” Tunsil said. “When we ran it in practice I was upfield too much, so I stayed back and was happy. It was the best day. I’m a receiver inside.”
As it were, the play ended up being the last Tunsil would play on the night and most-assuredly his final as a Rebel. He was held out for the remainder of the game as a precautionary measure and is widely expected to declare for the NFL Draft as he is projected to be an early first round draft pick – possibly the first overall pick.
Had Kelly not made that run and perhaps had he not thrown a pass to Cody Core that drew a pass interference penalty while stopping the clock, maybe the world would never have seen Tunsil score for Ole Miss.
“I wasn’t nervous,” Tunsil said. “We ran that play in practice a lot of times. I was just happy I got a touchdown.”
Though Kelly could have easily have taken a sack or thrown the ball away on third down forcing the Ole Miss to kick a long field goal, he didn’t. He chose to try to make a play and did.
In 2013 Tunsil had a choice to make. He could have gone virtually to any school he wanted, as he was that highly regarded; yet he chose Ole Miss. His decision to become a Rebel along with Tony Conner, Robert Nkemdiche, and Laquon Treadwell might be the moment that changes the state of Ole Miss football for the foreseeable future.
“We all three said we are going to change the program, and that’s what we did,” Tunsil said. “The Sugar Bowl puts a plus on it.”
Whether Ole Miss continues to remain a contender remains to be seen, but one fact is without Laremy Tunsil’s services, Ole Miss isn’t where it is today – champions of the 2016 Allstate Sugar Bowl.