Quarterbacks usually throw this pass late in the fourth quarter of a close game to win the game or push it into overtime. Why Would a Quarterback Throw a Hail Mary Pass? After the match, Layden called the throw a “Hail Mary” play, much like his teammate had ten years before. At the end of the game, Bill Shakespeare threw a game-winning touchdown pass to Wayne Millner. In 1935, Elmer Layden was Notre Dame’s head coach for the “ Game of the Century” against Ohio State. After a successful game against Georgia Tech, Kizer, a lineman on the team, said, “That Hail Mary play is the best play we got.” They often spoke about how they said a Hail Mary prayer before touchdown attempts.

Kizer and Layden played football in the early 1920s for Notre Dame, a Catholic college. Most people credit Elmer Layden and Nobel Kizer as the first people to name the Hail Mary pass in football. Using a Hail Mary pass in this way early on can help make sure that a team doesn’t return from half-time down too many points. A team may opt to use a desperation pass in the first half of a game to try and get in field goal range.

However, there are some specific circumstances when a team may use Hail Mary pass as a tactical move. In most cases, a successful Hail Mary pass results in a touchdown, resulting in six points of offense. If a wide receiver catches the ball in the end zone, it results in a touchdown. Often, the play results in a jump ball, with a group of receivers and defensive backs leaping to try and catch the pass. While it’s not an overly complicated play, it can be vitally important to the result of a game. Find out everything you need to learn about the play and more below.Ī Hail Mary pass is a long-range forward pass towards the end zone. The desperation throw has a name, and the name is the Hail Mary play. Typically with a few seconds left on the clock and the offense needing a touchdown to tie or win the game, you might see the quarterback throw a desperation pass to the end zone.

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