USC scores TD on punt return as UCLA punt team goes after wrong returner

Here’s one way to get an easy touchdown.

USC scored a touchdown in the first quarter against UCLA on Saturday by distracting UCLA’s entire punt team.

The Trojans put two punt returners on the field and UCLA’s coverage unit all descended to the returner on the near side of the field for those watching at home. The problem is that the punt went to the far side of the field.

Whoops. Michael Pittman had clear sailing for a 72-yard touchdown.

Teams have tried the decoy returner strategy before, but rarely to the level of success that USC had Saturday night. Utah, two years ago against Oregon, pulled it off, too.

Whose was better?

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Nick Bromberg is the editor of Dr. Saturday and From the Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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