蜜柚直播

If it isn鈥檛 the most iconic play in 蜜柚直播 Wildcats football history, it鈥檚 at worst a close second.

鈥淭he Leap by the Lake鈥� 鈥� quarterback Ortege Jenkins鈥� do-or-die dash into the end zone in the final seconds at Washington on Oct. 3, 1998, punctuated by a gymnastics-like flip over three incoming Huskies defenders. Jenkins stuck the landing, and 蜜柚直播 won 31-28. It was the UA鈥檚 first road victory over Washington in a decade, and it kept the Wildcats unbeaten at 5-0.

蜜柚直播 would finish 12-1, the best record in school history. 鈥淭he Leap by the Lake鈥� became that magical season鈥檚 most memorable moment. Its only rival in UA annals is Chuck Cecil鈥檚 106-yard interception return against 蜜柚直播 State 12 years earlier.

There鈥檚 no disputing the greatness of Jenkins鈥� derring-do. But as we look back on that game 20 years later, one could argue that what happened before and after it meant just as much 鈥� and that those events perfectly encapsulated what the 1998 squad was all about.

Chris, miss, bliss

Dick Tomey knew it was possible, and the day before the game it became official: Cornerback Chris McAlister 鈥� 蜜柚直播鈥檚 best player and a future top-10 NFL draft pick 鈥� was ruled ineligible for the Washington trip by the NCAA.

McAlister鈥檚 suspension was related to a loan he had taken out the previous summer. A last-minute appeal by then-athletic director Jim Livengood proved unsuccessful. Tomey didn鈥檛 have to ask about the outcome.

鈥淚 was called to the athletic director鈥檚 office,鈥� Tomey, the former UA coach, said during a recent sitdown with the Star. 鈥淛im told me that Chris had been declared ineligible. When I walked in I knew it because he鈥檚 crying. He鈥檚 just sitting there bawling his eyes out.鈥�

The reality hit them just then: No. 14 蜜柚直播 would have to beat No. 20 Washington in the Pacific Northwest without one of the nation鈥檚 premier cover corners and kick returners.

鈥淭here鈥檚 nobody that鈥檚 ever played for us that played his position any better,鈥� Tomey said. 鈥淗e was the prototype.鈥�

McAlister had the ability to, as football people put it, 鈥渢ake away half the field.鈥� When he got his hands on the ball, he could take it to the house. McAlister would finish the 鈥�98 season with three touchdowns 鈥� one apiece on kickoff, punt and interception returns. He had five picks in all (not counting two more in the Holiday Bowl that didn鈥檛 count toward his totals because of NCAA rules at the time).

So when Tomey delivered the news to the team, it was a devastating blow. Or at least it should have been.

鈥淓verybody wanted to step up and make sure they got that victory for Chris,鈥� said Kelvin Eafon, one of three captains on the 鈥�98 squad. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 know how long he鈥檇 be out. We didn鈥檛 know the situation. But we knew we didn鈥檛 want to let him down.鈥�

Eafon also spoke to the team. So did McAlister. Tomey鈥檚 words resonated the most, according to Barrett Baker, another team captain.

鈥淲hen he got done talking, we would have marched right outside McKale and played Washington on Fred Enke (Drive), right on the blacktop,鈥� Baker said. 鈥淲e were ready to go.鈥�

Motivation wasn鈥檛 a problem. But Tomey and his staff still had to fill McAlister鈥檚 spot in the lineup and on the travel roster. Leland Gayles would start at cornerback opposite Kelvin Hunter. And the final roster spot would go to 鈥� walk-on quarterback Peter Hansen.

One of Tomey鈥檚 assistants mentioned that the 6-foot-8-inch Hansen had blocked a couple of kicks during practice that week. Luckily, he was home when the coaches called him.聽(Mobile phones existed but weren鈥檛 exactly prominent in 1998.)聽Hansen needed a ride to the airport, and he had to wear the 6-1 McAlister鈥檚 travel sweats, but it was all good: The kick-block specialist would make the game.

He also would make an impact.

The last-minute addition to the roster was credited with a blocked extra point. The leaping presence of No. 14 also might have contributed to a late missed field goal, which sailed wide right and gave 蜜柚直播 a jolt just before the winning touchdown drive. Tack on those points, and Jenkins鈥� TD merely would have tied the game. Who knows what would have happened in overtime?

鈥淚 Just remember how good Washington was, how tough it was to win in Seattle,鈥� said Brandon Manumaleuna, a tight end for the 鈥�98 Wildcats who鈥檚 currently the offensive coordinator at Narbonne High School in Harbor City, California. 鈥淭o lose one of your best players 鈥� that鈥檚 where the family atmosphere comes in. We had each other鈥檚 backs.鈥�

鈥楬e鈥檚 good in my book鈥�

The triumphant Wildcats returned to 蜜柚直播 about 4 a.m. the next day. As Tomey remembers it, the weather was similar to what they had left behind in Seattle.

When the traveling party landed, an unexpected visitor was there to greet them: Chris McAlister.

鈥淭o this day,鈥� former UA offensive coordinator Dino Babers said, 鈥淚 can鈥檛 figure out how Chris got on the tarmac.鈥�

Yet there he was, to the delight of his coaches and teammates. McAlister wasn鈥檛 the most vocal leader; he generally let his actions speak for him. This gesture 鈥� showing up at the airport in the rain at 4 o鈥檆lock in the morning 鈥� validated his selection as the third team captain.

鈥淗e was a quiet guy, but he had one of the biggest hearts,鈥� Eafon said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 expect him to be there at that time, but it didn鈥檛 surprise me.鈥�

Offensive lineman Edwin Mulitalo recalled feeling resentful when he learned McAlister would miss the Washington game 鈥� as if McAlister had let the team down in some way. His appearance at the airport wiped those feelings away.

鈥淲hen he came back and he was waiting for us,鈥� Mulitalo said, 鈥淚 said to myself, 鈥楬e鈥檚 good in my book.鈥欌��

Tomey saw deeper meaning in the whole affair. A positive had materialized from what seemed like a negative situation.

The Wildcats learned something about their teammate, and they learned something about themselves. Although they would lose the following week to UCLA, it was the lone blemish in a season marked by dominance and resilience.

Tomey remembered hugging McAlister and speaking to him at the bottom of the steps.

鈥淚 told him I was so glad to see him,鈥� Tomey said. 鈥淗e said, 鈥楥oach, I鈥檝e never experienced that, where I wasn鈥檛 part of something.鈥� I said, 鈥楥hris, you were.鈥�

鈥淏y his actions, that team became a great team. It found out it could win without its best player.鈥�