Michigan punter gets advice from former coach at Weber State
After Blake O'Neill's nightmarish gaffe cost Michigan Football against Michigan State Spartans football, the punter got a boost from his former coach at Weber State University.
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Former coach's advice to Michigan's O'Neill: You have to move on and punt next week
Weber State coach Jay Hill believes in his former punter, Blake O'Neill.
You have to move on. That's the message Weber State coach Jay Hill delivered to his former punter Sunday, the day after Blake O'Neill became a household name.
On Saturday, the 22-year-old Australian reached Bill Buckner-level infamy when he committed an error that squandered Michigan's two-point, fourth-quarter lead over arch-nemesis Michigan State.
As practically everyone has seen, up 23-21 with 10 seconds left in the game, Michigan only had to punt the ball to the Spartans and hold tight until the time expired. Solid plan, except O'Neill fumbled the snap. The ensuing bobble was caught by Jalen Watts-Jackson and brought back 38 yards for the game-winning touchdown as the clock struck zero.
It was one of the most improbable finishes in college football history and handed No. 7 Michigan State a 27-23 victory over No. 12 Michigan.
The play has been called everything from the "Gift-Six" to the "Bungle at the Big House," but O'Neill probably calls it the worst day of his life.
Hill, who recruited O'Neill to Weber State after he saw video of him punting in Australia, called him and urged him to put the play in his rearview mirror.
"I told him, 'Blake, you made a mistake, bud, and it hurts, I know it hurts. But you have to move on because you're going to have to go out and punt very good next week," Hill said. "(Michigan) has a bye this week, but he's going to rebound and have a heck of a game next week.
"You can't dwell on that stuff. You have to move on. That's sports. That's every week in college sports. Things like that happen and you have to move on."
"You can't dwell on that stuff. You have to move on. That's sports."
Weber State coach Jay Hill
Needless to say, O'Neill's gaffe did not sit well with Wolverines fans, who harassed him on social media.
The abuse got so out of hand that Michigan's interim athletic director Jim Hackett wrote an open letter urging cooler heads to prevail.
"Today I awake to the shocking reality that our community who care so much about this program would send hurtful, spiteful and vicious comments to one of our students," the letter read. "... I'm asking that our community not lose this game twice by condoning thoughtless comments."
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