Cowbell Corner

When fate plays defense: Breaking down DeAgo Brumfield's interception

DeAgo Brumfield turned a near-mistake into an interception thanks to a fortunate bounce vs. Alcorn State.
Taylor Hodges|
Mississippi State Bulldogs cheer team celebrates after a touchdown during the first half against the Alcorn State Braves at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field.
Mississippi State Bulldogs cheer team celebrates after a touchdown during the first half against the Alcorn State Braves at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. | Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

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Mississippi State BulldogsAlcorn State Braves

Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.

Not all the time. It’s better to just be good and not give fate an opportunity to intervene.

But in small instances, it’s not bad to be lucky rather than good.

Case in point: DeAgo Brumfield’s interception in the first quarter of Saturday's 63-0 win against Alcorn State.

Brumfield is a good player. He’s a starting cornerback on an SEC team (even if it’s listed as a co-starter with a player who hasn’t dressed out this season) with 12 career pass breakups and (now) two interceptions.

However, on one play Saturday against Brumfield he was more lucky than good. (Note: The play starts at 8:50 in the first quarter.)

Brumfield was one of four players to talk with reporters after the game and was asked about the play he caught his second career interception on.

Here’s how the play unfolded, in Brumfield’s own words.

“Really, they had a little motion adjustment. I didn't adjust the right way, how I should have,” Brumfield said. “I kind of messed up my technique; kind of got beat, but kept running to the ball. The ball popped up and I took advantage of it. That's him up above for real. For real.”

Brumfield left an opportunity for fate to intervene, but fate decided to be nice.

On the play, Brumfield got beat by his receiver, Jarvis Rush.

Alcorn State was lined up in a shotgun formation with twin receivers to the right, one receiver to left (Rush), a tight end next to the left tackle and a running back to the quarterback’s right.

Before the snap, Rush goes in motion just a few steps closer to the line. It was only three or four steps, plus a small skip.

At the snap, Rush took off downfield and had Brumfield beat before Brumfield had gotten out of his backpedal. Alcorn State quarterback Jaylon Tolbert knew it because he never looked at another receiver.

A receiver one-on-one with a cornerback lined up close to the line?

Anyone that’s played way-too-much Madden or EA College Football knows to call a hot route, send that receiver on a go route, throw a lob pass and hope the safety doesn’t get there in time.

The Braves, based on the motion, didn’t need to call a hot route. That motion is what put them in a position to make it a one possession game.

Then fate intervened.

If all you saw was an image of the play just before the ball reaches Rush’s hands, you’d assume it was at least caught, if not a touchdown scored.

Instead, the ball landed on Rush’s facemask and not his outstretched hands. The ball’s bounce went straight to Brumfield’s non-outstretched hands.

We all know a football can bounce in some crazy, unpredictable ways.

So, on this one play, it was better to be lucky than good.

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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