Dayne Crist had to come in for a momentarily injured Tommy Rees in the third quarter of the USC/Notre Dame game. You might recall Crist's earlier adventures as Notre Dame starter in 2011 before he lost the job to Rees, a series of games marked by Crist's decent play between the 20 yard lines and his astonishing penchant for turnovers in the red zone.
Dayne Crist And The Art Of The Long-Distance Fumble
We come not to bury Dayne Crist's career at Notre Dame. He suffered a complex of injuries during his time there, and did everything the coaching staff asked of him, and that's nothing to sniff at in the grand scheme of things. We do come to point out Crist's most notable talent: making the perfect long-distance fumble.
It’s not the talent you want, but Crist certainly has it. A long-distance fumble requires a good, two-handed fumble. You can’t just put that on the turf like you’re laying a robin’s egg on a pillow, son. No, it’s got to flop with force off both hands to get a good start on a long-distance fumble. Foot ricochet is crucial, too. Remember! More angles introduced into the equation means more fumble potential.
Finally, cap the play by ensuring that you are in an offensive set where the running back in full motion will go streaking past the bouncing ball. Make sure all receivers are engaged in blocking, and that all defenders are running forward towards the point of attack and not in pass coverage. Perfect fumbles don’t happen by themselves. They take a willingness to practice combined with pure fumbling talent. Sadly, Dayne Crist will be remembered for having plenty of both a a Notre Dame QB.
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