Tag: kick six

Samson Nacua disappointed after almost making the play of the day

Samson Nacua isn’t eager to check the family group chat after his almost-kick six. ‘I am going to be sick, because I know I’m faster than Puka’

It’s not often you get to say you almost made the play of the day. Samson Nacua was as blown away by his big kick return against the Tennessee Titans as everyone watching in the stands and at home. The New Orleans Saints wide receiver fielded a too-short field goal try just before halftime and returned it, officially, 106 yards before being thrown out of bounds around the 3-yard line.

“Going sideways made it feel like an extra sixty yards. Because I got to that fifty yard line and I was like, ‘My legs are gone,'” Nacua laughed to reporters after the game. He said he could hear his teammates on the sideline cheering him on and that energy helped him keep going. He’s still frustrated he came up short of the goal line: “Oh a hundred percent I’m disappointed. Coach said too, like, ‘It’s the end of the half, no matter what get it in, don’t get tackled with the ball.’ And what did I do? I got freaking tackled with the ball and I let the guys down. I should’ve pitched it to the homeboy that was right there, let him walk it in for me.”

He’s taking this one on the chin. Nacua didn’t expect the kick to fall to him in the end zone, at first; but when the first try barely cleared the crossbar, he realized he had a chance. So he adjusted his positioning and trusted the practice reps that special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi had given him to set him up for success. It’s just a shame he couldn’t go the distance.

Now he’s getting razzed by his famous brother Puka Nacua, the Los Angeles Rams star, in the family group chat: “They’re probably going to tell me I’m the slower brother, and I am going to be sick, because I know I’m faster than Puka.” For the record, Puka Nacua timed the 40-yard dash in 4.57 seconds at his BYU pro day. Samson Nacua timed a 4.52 on the same track a year earlier.

And did he keep the football? No, and Nacua says he wouldn’t have accepted it if it were offered. His big regret about this play is that he let his teammates blocking for him down by not punching into the end zone. All he can do now is hope he gets another opportunity to make good on it. It almost seems like he feels he owes them one.

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Samson Nacua came up just short of a kick-six in Titans preseason game

Samson Nacua returned this missed field goal 106 yards, but he was just yards away from a huge Saints kick-six. See the play for yourself:

Samson Nacua nearly made the play of the day in the New Orleans Saints’ preseason game with the Tennessee Titans. Titans kicker Brayden Narveson was too short from 58 yards out on a field goal try before halftime, but Nacua was in position to field it and bring it out for a return. First following his blockers right, Nacua cut back to his left and flew upfield and into the open field.

But it wasn’t to be. You hate to see this for Nacua, but you’ve got to give credit to Titans tight end Thomas Odukoya for hustling to catch Nacua from behind and force him out of bounds short of the goal line, scuttling what would’ve been a kick-six. He was credited with 106 yards on the return but needed 109 for the score.

Still, it was an exhilarating play, and it’s great to see Nacua’s teammates congratulating him on the field and again on the sideline for showing such great effort. You just wish he could’ve gone the distance. A better block by safety Johnathan Abram at the end of the return may have walled off Odukoya long enough for Nacua to cross the goal line, but we’ll never know. Good on Nacua for doing everything he could to make a play here.

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Relive the legendary Auburn Kick Six on its 10th anniversary with these awesome photos

The legendary Auburn Kick Six over Alabama was 10 years ago today.

It’s been exactly 10 years since Auburn fans got the bragging of a lifetime over their archrival Alabama friends.

On Nov. 30, 2013, Alabama was tied with Auburn 28-28 with kicker Adam Griffith on to make the attempt.

There were just a handful of seconds left on the clock, which means that Griffith making the kick for the Crimson Tide would’ve won them the game.

As Griffith attempted the 57-yard kick, Auburn cornerback Chris Davis waited in the end zone to field the kick should it fall short of the goal posts.

You know how it ends: Griffin missed the attempt, and it fell right into the grasp of Davis, who ran it back 109 yards for the biggest touchdown in Auburn history to win the game.

Davis’ walk-off touchdown will forever be enshrined in Auburn history and will forever haunt the dreams of Alabama fans when they attempt a kick at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium.

As fate would have it, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe commemorated the 10-year anniversary last weekend with a wild last-minute touchdown of his own to win the 2023 Iron Bowl for Alabama on the road.

The Auburn-Alabama rivalry will continue to loom large as one of college football’s fiercest, and Davis’ legendary Kick Six will always be the first things on a Tigers fan’s mind when they think about playing the Tide.

Let’s relive that fateful play with some of the great photos from that night.

Alabama fans are tired of hearing about the ‘Kick Six’

A decade ago, Auburn won a regular season game over Alabama. Crimson Tide fans point out why it’s ironic that Auburn fans continue to brag about it.

A decade ago, Auburn won a regular season football game at home against Alabama. Well, there’s more to it than that, but Crimson Tide fans are sick and tired of hearing about it.

As time expired in the 2013 Iron Bowl Auburn’s Chris Davis returned a short field goal the length of the field, walking off the game with an electric touchdown score. Some Alabama fans believe he stepped out, but the play ultimately stood and the Tigers won the game. The play was dubbed the ‘Kick Six.’ It even has its own Wikipedia page.

Auburn went on to lose in the national championship game that year.

Since then, Alabama has won three national titles, had multiple Heisman Trophy recipients, a handful of conference titles and more accolades. Yet, Auburn continuously brags about the Kick Six, despite not coming close to the achievements the Tide has earned in the last 10 years.

Fans took to social media to share their thoughts on the Iron Bowl, Auburn and the Kick Six.

Kick Six named one of the most influential games of the 2000s

This is one of the best endings in sports history and almost sent Nick Saban into retirement.

The Kick Six is one of the greatest moments in sports history and something Auburn fans will cherish forever.

With the 2013 Iron Bowl tied at 28-28, Alabama lined up to attempt a 57-yard field goal with one second remaining, and Auburn needed a miracle.

They got one.

The kick was short and [autotag]Chris Davis[/autotag] returned it 109 yards to win the game with no time on the clock.

Not only was the ending was dramatic and brilliantly called by the late Rob Bramblett propelled Auburn to the SEC Championship game where they won before falling to Florida State in the BCS title game.  It also prevented Alabama from making another title game and had [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] contemplating retirement.

While that did not happen, the game was still impactful enough for Andy Staples of The Athletic to rank it as the No. 6 most impactful game of the 2000s.

Here is what Staples said about the game:

The Kick Six, one of the most dramatic final plays in college football history, might have ranked higher on this list had Saban followed through on an impulse he had in the aftermath of the 34-28 Iron Bowl loss to the Tigers.

In AL.com’s John Talty’s new book “The Leadership Secrets of Nick Saban: How Alabama’s Coach Became the Greatest Ever,” former ESPN executive John Wildhack confirmed that Saban and ESPN discussed Saban joining ESPN if he retired in the offseason.

This raised several questions for Staples that he acknowledged we will never know but are still fascinating.

How different might college football be had Saban left Alabama after 2013? Would Alabama have remained dominant? Would Saban have grown tired of television and landed at another program? Would Malzahn still be coaching at Auburn, and would he have one of the SEC’s powerhouse programs?

While we will never know the answers to these questions, it is still an iconic moment and one of the reasons the Iron Bowl is one of the best rivalries in college football.

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Two of College Football’s most depressing losses of all-time were Auburn’s fault

Thankfully, Auburn was on the right side of these two games.

The year is 2013, and Auburn has reached the SEC Championship, due in part to several breaks bending in their direction.

The first came on November 16 against Georgia. Auburn grabbed a 34-17 lead over the Bulldogs heading into the 4th quarter. Georgia would then catch momentum and score 21 unanswered points to take a 38-37 lead with 1:49 remaining.

On Auburn’s final drive of the game, they were stuck with a 4th and 18 situation from their own 27 yard line. Quarterback [autotag]Nick Marshall[/autotag] delivered a desperation pass down the field, where the football would be tipped by two Georgia defenders (one of those defenders, [autotag]Tray Matthews[/autotag], would finish his career at Auburn) and would land in the hands of [autotag]Ricardo Louis[/autotag]. Louis caught the pass in stride and ran into the end zone to stun the Bulldogs, who had almost completed a monumental comeback.

The second miracle that Auburn would receive came just two weeks later. Auburn and Alabama were tied at 28 in the 4th quarter. On the next to last play of the game, Alabama running back T.J. Yeldon stepped out of bounds as time expired. However, after instant replay review, it was determined that he stepped out of bounds with one-second remaining in the game.

That second would go on to be the most important second of the season, and maybe in college football history.

Alabama elected to kick a 57-yard field goal in hopes to break the tie, and to give Alabama the Iron Bowl win. But, fate wanted another outcome.

Adam Griffith of Alabama’s kick was just short, and allowed Chris Davis to return the kick. He zoomed down the field sparingly touched, and ended his dash in the end zone, where Auburn rose victorious over the Crimson Tide.

Those two finishes have special places in the hearts of Auburn fans, but not so much in the hearts of those on the other side.

Riley Gates of 247Sports recently ranked College Football’s 10 most depressing losses of all-time, with both “The Prayer at Jordan-Hare” and “The Kick Six” being listed.

Here is where each game is ranked on the list, as well as 247Sports’ reasoning behind placing the games where they did:

Gus Malzahn calls the ‘Kick Six’ the best play he has seen in person

Is this play the best one you’ve seen in person?

During his time at Auburn, former head coach Gus Malzahn achieved plenty. The only thing lacking was a national championship. He came close but it just wasn’t meant to be as the Tigers fell to the Florida State Seminoles back in 2013, his first season back on the Plains.

There were plenty of good memories as well as some that were not so great. The not-so-great moments ultimately ended his tenure after returning to lead the program where he won a national championship with as the offensive coordinator.

One of the great moments included the hail mary pass that was dubbed the “Prayer at Jordan-Hare.” Needing a final desperation touchdown with time winding down, Auburn snapped the ball on fourth and 18. Quarterback Nick Marshall threw a pass that bounced off a Georgia Bulldogs defender and landed in the hands of Ricardo Louis, who scampered into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown. What a moment.

However, when Paul Finebaum asked about the greatest college football play you’ve seen in person, Malzahn had another play in mind and it took place just a week later against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Late in the Iron Bowl game with the Tide, Marshal once again had a big play as he found Sammie Coates for a 39-yard touchdown pass to tie the game after the Cody Parkey extra point with just 32 seconds left. Alabama and Nick Saban opted for a long field goal attempt to win the game and head to the SEC Championship. However, with the 57-yard field goal try landing short, Chris Davis took care of the rest.

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Auburn legend set to hold autograph signing on May 7th

Former Auburn legend set to host autograph signing for fans on May 7th in Madison, Alabama.

It seems like yesterday when the famous kick six occurred. The call was made by the beloved Rod Bramblett. Many remember Bramblett vividly saying, “Auburn’s going to win the football game.”

That game still resonates in the minds of many Auburn fans. The Iron Bowl in 2013 will always remember the heroic antiques that occurred that day from Auburn defensive back and specialist Chris Davis.

Now, on May 7th, Auburn fans will have the opportunity to meet Davis and get his autograph while doing so. The autograph signing will be held in Madison, Alabama at Madison Mercantile. Fans will have the chance to meet with Davis from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. CT. Photographs, helmet replicas, and many other items will be available for purchase. By attending the autograph signing, the fans can say that they came in close proximity to an Auburn legend so to speak.

After Davis went undrafted in 2014, he signed as an undrafted free agent with the San Diego Chargers. He would spend just one season there before he joined the San Fransisco 49ers from 2015 to 2016. After two years of not playing football, he returned to the gridiron in 2019 to play for the Birmingham Stallions who were a part of the Alliance Football League. Currently, Davis coaches as a cornerback at Pinson Valley High School in Pinson, Alabama.

If you are looking for something to do, this is a great opportunity to meet one of the more prolific figures in Auburn’s history.

Six major Alabama accomplishments since the ‘Kick Six’

The 2020 Iron Bowl is upon the state of Alabama, the one day that brings silence to the fanbases of Alabama and Auburn, as the other 364 are spent bragging about the latest win, or defending the latest loss. However, one play has stood the test of …

The 2020 Iron Bowl is upon the state of Alabama, the one day that brings silence to the fanbases of Alabama and Auburn, as the other 364 are spent bragging about the latest win, or defending the latest loss.

However, one play has stood the test of time. One play that is talked about and shown more than the overall record of the rivalry series.

The ‘Kick Six.’

It was on Nov. 30, 2013, where the Crimson Tide and the Tigers were tied at 28 with just enough time to attempt a 57-yard field goal. The kick was short, Auburn’s Chris Davis was waiting for it in the end zone. Time expired as Davis returned it roughly 109 yards, and the rest is history.

It has been seven years since the ‘Kick Six’ and Alabama fans are still subjected to seeing it every November.

Well, Alabama fans, here are six major Alabama accomplishments since the ‘Kick Six’:

I, JD McCarthy’s, favorite Iron Bowl memory

I always thought that Florida and FSU was the greatest rivalry in college football until I watched the Kick Six.

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As the Iron Bowl approaches on Saturday, each staff member of The Auburn Wire will be sharing their favorite memory of the greatest rivalry in college football. Here is JD McCarthy’s. 

Like many fans I come from a house divided. My family is not split between Auburn and Alabama but between Florida and Florida State.

As a Florida fan who grew up in Tallahassee, I was convinced that the annual matchup with FSU was the best rivalry in sports.

That was changed on Nov. 30, 2013 when the greatest play in college football history took place.

I am ,of course, talking about the Kick Six, which my family and a handful of friends witnessed after a long day of watching football.

While I don’t remember much about the game, I do remember thinking the game was over when Alabama lined up to kick a field goal with just over two minutes to go up two-scores. The kick was of course blocked, and with Tre Mason slowly pushing Auburn towards the end zone it started to look like Auburn may have a chance after all. When Nick Marshall hit a wide-open Sammie Coates for a long touchdown to tie it up, I assumed Alabama would run the clock out and was eagerly awaiting overtime between two rivals.

After Alabama broke off a long run to get in Auburn territory and the game appeared to come to a close, we were ready for overtime with a spot in the SEC Championship game on the line.

When they announced that one second had been put back on the clock, we were all expecting a Hail Mary pass that had little chance of success but would still be exciting.

When Saban trotted out a kicker to attempt a 57-yarder we all were surprised, especially since they had already missed three field goals that day and thinking a Hail Mary throw had a better chance than such a long kick.

It was at this time that one of our guests, who are Australian and did not understand “American football,” decided to take a bathroom break, saying nothing important could happen in just one second. (We all know how that turned out.)

When the kick went up and it looked like the game would end on a walk-off we all rose out of our seats. As the ball traveled further and got lower and lower we realized that it didn’t have the distance and we were going to see a wild ending after all with Chris Davis having the chance to return the kick.

It wasn’t till he picked up about his third block at the 20-yard line that we thought the return had a chance of amounting to something and not being a futile effort. We responded as normal teenage boys do, jumping on the couch and screaming. It was about the 50 when we realized he was going to score, and Auburn was going to win. I don’t know who started it, but someone started a dog pile and soon four or five of us were piled atop our ottoman which quickly collapsed, dropping us to the floor, which we found hilarious.

It was about this time that our Australian friend came sprinting back from the bathroom confused shouting, “I was only gone one second, what happened?”

Which sent us all back into hysterics trying to explain.

The Kick Six is not the reason I attend Auburn, but it was the moment I realized I wanted to spend my life working with sports