Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Even a dog would have known to kneel the football at the end of Saturday’s game between Miami and Georgia Tech.
Up 20-17, the Hurricanes handed the ball off on third down when they could have let time expire after a quarterback knee. Donald Chaney Jr. fumbled, and the Yellow Jackets pulled off a stunner when Haynes King found Christian Leary for a game-winning touchdown with one second remaining.
A Twitter account representing Lane Kiffin’s dog, Juice, mocked the decision with a photo of Ole Miss celebrating a 27-20 victory over Arkansas.
“That’s my dad fist-pumping cause he took a knee at the end! Not every [coach] does that,” the account wrote.
That’s my dad fist-pumping cause he took a knee at the end! Not every does that 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/MLf88hC9IE
— Juice Kiffin (@JuiceKiffin) October 8, 2023
Miami head coach Mario Cristobal discussed the baffling blunder after Saturday’s 23-20 loss.
“Not going to make an excuse for it, say we should’ve done this or that,” Cristobal said, per ESPN. “That’s it. We should’ve done it. Sometimes you get carried away with just, finish the game and run it. I should’ve stepped in and said, ‘Hey, just take a knee.'”
The Hurricanes were seconds away from securing a 5-0 start. But instead of celebrating a victory, Cristobal is in hot water for the costly coaching miscue.
Miami must find a way to brush off the heartbreaking defeat when facing North Carolina next weekend and hosting Clemson the following week.