Was Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Pederson trying to pay homage to Penn State offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich by using the T formation? Probably not.
But one of the last plays of Jacksonville’s 31-30 come-from-behind win over the LA Chargers on the first night of Wildcard Weekend made people think of Penn State football.
On a 4th-and-1 from the Chargers 41 yard-line with 1:27 left, Jacksonville’s Travis Etienne ran 16 yards up the right end to put the Jags in field goal range and set up the eventual game-winning 36-yard field goal by Riley Patterson. Patterson’s field goal as time expired capped off the third-largest comeback in NFL history (27-0) and Etienne’s run set it up.
But what got Penn State fans and some football media talking wasn’t so much the run, but the play’s formation.
Lol u wild Doug keep going#LACvsJAX on NBC pic.twitter.com/8zJhrS3ghY
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) January 15, 2023
Over the course of the season, Penn State offensive coordinator Yurcich became known to run plays out of the T formation. Penn State had some success out of that formation, most recently in the team’s 35-21 Rose Bowl win over Utah Jan. 2, when freshman running back Nick Singleton scored the game’s first touchdown out of that formation from 5 yards out.
PENN STATE PUNCHES IT IN FOR THE FIRST TD IN PASADENA 😤 pic.twitter.com/y4o0IFCqAt
— ESPN (@espn) January 2, 2023
Singleton REFUSED to go down 💪😤@PennStateFball adds on another TD pic.twitter.com/6eyS3Y5gfK
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 12, 2022
Jacksonville’s use of the T went superbly as well. Penn State fans and football media noticed the resemblance, and took to Twitter to talk about it.
— Ben Jones (@Ben_Jones88) January 15, 2023
Jags stole that from Penn State
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) January 15, 2023
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.That beautiful formation. pic.twitter.com/2St3AqNZoa
— NCNittany (@NittanyNC) January 15, 2023
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery
— Corey Hunter (@realhuntdog23) January 15, 2023
Somewhere Mike Yurcich laughs pic.twitter.com/Y805TUjlLz
— Hardcore Penn State Football (@HardcorePSUFB) January 15, 2023
The Penn State T Formation!!!! Dougie P was watching the Rose Bowl! ⚪️🔵🦁
— Blue and White 🌹🌹🌹 (@BlueWhiteSports) January 15, 2023
Mike Yurcich is smiling rn
— Max Ralph (@maxralph_) January 15, 2023
Penn State's resurrected T Formation for the W https://t.co/SUoHwHXWq6
— Bobby Silver (@BobbySilver_) January 15, 2023
Doug Pederson watched Penn State this year https://t.co/nKRTBGW7QJ
— Mark Wogenrich (@MarkWogenrich) January 15, 2023
Doug Pederson ripped off that Penn State play from the Rose Bowl??
— Ace Boogie🤟🏼 (@rooneydr) January 15, 2023
Doug Pederson watches Penn State I see .
— Derrick Wolfe (@Dwolfe401) January 15, 2023
Penn State fans watching the Jags win with the T formation pic.twitter.com/IbYSBUpX9u
— Johnny McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) January 15, 2023
