Even though Ball State placekicker Kenny Stucker’s game-winning field goal spoiled the party at NIU’s 81st Homecoming Game, for at least a few Huskies, Saturday’s 18-17 defeat won’t go down as a complete loss.

There was the solid, 19-tackle effort NIU fans have come to expect from inside linebacker Ron Delisi. There was the 15-tackle, two-interception performance by free safety Kevin Cassidy. There was the 11-tackle, two-interception effort by cornerback Brett Tucker.

And then there was left tackle-turned guard Dan Smaha, and the play.

Had NIU held on to win, many thanks would have gone to Smaha and the rest of the NIU offense, who pulled off one of football’s biggest hoaxes—the fumblerooski play.

Yeah, you know the one, the fumblerooski. The play you see once about every seven years that works every time. As much of an act as it is a play, the fumblerooski—technically referred to as the guard-around—requires the quarterback to “fumble” (or set) the ball on the ground between the center’s legs and continue as if he were carrying out a play in the backfield.

In turn, the center protects the ball by falling to his knees, while the linemen go into their blocks. Then, as the defenders, the fans and the television cameras focus on the quarterback, the guard picks up the ball and heads for paydirt. Or that’s the way it’s supposed to work anyway.

And for Huskie offensive coordinator Mike Summers and company, the play worked to perfection. Leading 10-7 with 11:09 left in the game, NIU called on Smaha, who traded spots with left guard Bob Montel long enough to carry the ball 31 yards for a touchdown.

On the play, which gave NIU a 17-7 lead with 11:03 left, Cardinal left cornerback Todd Finnell was the only defender who spotted the ball in time to try to make a tackle, and as Smaha told reporters after the game, try was all Finnell could do. At 5-foot-9 and 165 pounds, Finnell didn’t stand a chance against the 6-foot-5, 260-pound Smaha.

“When I got down near the goal line I told myself ‘This little guy’s not going to keep me from getting in,'” said Smaha, who won the job because he is the team’s fastest lineman. “You always think how it would have been that much better had we won, but to be honest, it (the play) made for a homecoming I’ll never forget.

“The funny thing about it was that I was talking to (right guard) Joe Gucwa after the play, and he said the referee had to ask him how I got the ball, so I guess it fooled everybody.”

Everybody except the Huskie offensive line, who prepared an end zone dance just for the occasion. The “Hogs,” as they’re affectionately called, finished their short routine lying on their backs kicking their legs into the air.

Smaha’s heroics, and the reaction of his fellow linemen, prove indeed that every Hog has his day.