LANDOVER, Md. — Of all the mistakes West Virginia overcame during Saturday’s 35-32 win, a botched snap between center Tyler Orlosky and Skyler Howard was the least anticipated.
Their gaffe at the BYU 4-yard line not only pre-empted a possible insurance touchdown, but it gave the Cougars a last-ditch comeback opportunity.
“A miscommunication,” said Howard, who barked out a fake snap count only to look away as Orlosky snapped the ball off his leg. Linebacker Francis Bernard recovered at the 6-yard line with 2:36 left, and within five plays the Cougars drove to West Virginia’s 28.
“We have a chance to seal it and I can’t explain what happened,” said WVU coach Dana Holgorsen. “Our All-American center and our senior starting quarterback had a miscommunication. Obviously that can never happen, but especially not in that situation.
“(Orlosky) thought that they jumped and so he snapped it. It’s an easy fix. They’ve done it a hundred times.”
The frozen count, meant to draw defenders into giving away their intentions, had worked on the game’s opening touchdown drive when Bernard jumped offside on third-and-1.
Howard ran for one touchdown and threw a second score to Daikiel Shorts, connecting on 31-of-40 passes for 332 yards. His only other glaring error was a first-half interception thrown into the chest of linebacker Butch Pau’u.
“Me, I’m looking at the pick, some of the checks I didn’t make, obviously the fumble,” Howard said. “Things I could’ve done to put that game down long before it got dicey.”