Showing up late at Yager Stadium to see a Miami (OH) football game..typically doesn't pose a problem for seating. So imagine my surprise when I showed up five minutes after kickoff and saw 30,000 odd fans packing Yager for a chance to see Ben Roethlisberger and the ranked RedHawks play a night game on ESPN. Game details are sketchy in my mind (we won), but I remember one play like it was yesterday.
4th and 14, Miami is stalled around the opposing teams 35 yard line. Too close to punt, but too far to kick a field goal. Roethlisberger took the shotgun snap, avoided a blitzer, and crossed the LOS to scramble. Our section groaned, seeing a linebacker converging on Big Ben. To our surprise, the 240 lb Heisman candidate lowered his shoulder and punished the defender while his legs churned angrily. Skidding over the knocked down LB, Roethlisberger fell forward for the back breaking first down. We exploded in celebration, fueled by a feeling of surprise (he can run that fast?) and the general exuberance that envelopes college crowds.