Summers Fails to Finish

Purdue failed to execute at the end of regulation during last weekend's disappointment against the Oregon Ducks. With only a couple seconds left in the fourth quarter and the score tied, Purdue's field goal kicker Chris Summers had a chance to put the game away with a clutch kick from 44 yards out to seal the victory for the Boilermakers. Unfortunately, this was not the case.

With the last few seconds winding down in the fourth quarter, Purdue's head coach Joe Tiller called a timeout with only enough time for one last field goal attempt. Chris Summers took the field and was ready to kick the game winning points. When Summers was lined up and the ball about ready to be hiked, the Oregon coach called another time-out in attempts to "freeze" the kicker. "Freezing" the kicker is when the opposing team calls a time-out right before the kicker is about to hit a field goal. During the time-out, the kicker then thinks about all the pressure that is on him to make the points and he begins to get nervous since he can see what is on the line with his one last kick. Oregon's attempt to "freeze" Summers worked. The kick had the distance, but was just wide of the posts. The players take the field again for the greatest thing in college sports...overtime!

At the end of the Duck's first overtime drive, Oregon had to settle with a field goal. Purdue did the same on their drive with a 22 yard field goal when the offense failed to come up with a touchdown that would have won the game yet again. At the start of the second overtime, Purdue had the ball first with the ability to set the tone for this overtime series. Again Purdue had to settle with a 47 yard field goal, but Summers sent the ball just wide of the uprights. Purdue was scoreless on their drive and had to prevent the Ducks from coming away with a single point during their possession. The only chance Purdue had was to rely on their defense to prevent Oregon from even getting a field goal, but the Oregon Ducks scored on a run from their half back. It was over. Oregon had won. Summers had missed his chance to win the game for the Purdue Boilermakers. Chris Summers is not the clutch kicker that Purdue had hoped he was.