The Big Ten has released a statement admitting that the University of Southern California should have been penalized for the trick play the Trojans ran in Saturday’s football game against Northwestern.
According to Newsweek, USC ran a fake punt in the second quarter by using identical jersey numbers for the backup quarterback and the punter, resulting in a catch by the wide receiver and a first down.
Backup quarterback Sam Huard took the field wearing jersey number 80, the same number worn by the team’s official punter, Sam Johnson. A few plays later, Johnson took the field also in number 80.
Under the NCAA’s “Unfair Tactics” rule, USC should have received a 15-yard penalty for this trick play and unsportsmanlike conduct.
Related: SEC Claims Officials Blew the Call on Oklahoma's Trick-Play Touchdown
ESPN reported that USC does not list the players’ last names on their jerseys, which could have helped officials identify the trick play. On the Trojan’s game-day roster, both Huard and Johnson are listed as No. 80, but Huard is listed as No. 7 online. It is not uncommon for teams to use duplicate numbers so long as the players are on different units.
The NCAA rules state, “Two players playing the same position may not wear the same number during the game.”
